Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Receptors: Similarities and Differences in Signal Transduction

2001; Karger Publishers; Volume: 55; Issue: Suppl. 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1159/000063469

1663-2826

Joëlle Dupont, Derek LeRoith,

Pancreatic function and diabetes

The insulin receptor (IR) and the insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) belong to the same subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases with two extracellular α-subunits and two transmembrane β-subunits. They share a high similarity of structure and intracellular signalling events. However, the IR and the IGF-IR mediate different effects on metabolism, cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. Although some of the variation can be attributed to a different tissue distribution or subcellular localization, it can also be explained by structural differences in the β-subunit, which may result in activation of specific substrates and signal pathways.