Insulin-like growth factors are ubiquitously expressed and are crucial for growth and function of almost all cells. Together with their binding proteins and receptors, they form a widely studied biological system involving many proteins and characterized by complex interactions. In addition to its significance in growth and development, the insulin-like growth factor system also has important roles in a wide variety of pathological states. This has led to interest in the therapeutic potential of insulin-like growth factors and their binding proteins as candidate drug targets.
This...