Dai · Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society 2010 · narrative review · n=?

IGF-IEc expression, regulation and biological function in different tissues.

Cited 73 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Narrative review of bench and animal studies with no human clinical trial data.

PubMed 20494600 · doi:10.1016/j.ghir.2010.03.005 · record verified 2026-08-26

What was done

This is a narrative review synthesizing literature on the expression, regulation, and biological functions of insulin-like growth factor I splice variant IGF-IEc (mechano-growth factor, or MGF) across various tissues in physiological and injury states, including animal model findings.

What was found

The abstract reports no numerical data. It summarizes qualitatively that MGF expression increases following mechanical damage in muscle, bone, and tendon, and following ischemic injury in the brain and heart. In experimental models, MGF activates muscle satellite cells to promote hypertrophy and regeneration and provides neuroprotection during brain ischemia.

Why it matters

The review outlines the role of MGF (IGF-IEc) as a localized, damage-responsive repair factor distinct from systemic IGF-I signaling, highlighting its potential relevance for conditions like muscular dystrophy and cerebral hypoxia-ischemia.

Limits

This is an unsystematic narrative review summarizing bench and animal research without human clinical trial data. No quantitative effect estimates or study counts are provided in the abstract, and the functional mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

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