Research compendium

Insulin-like growth factor 2

IGF-2 belongs to the insulin-family peptide growth factors. Mouse studies examine gene expression, parental origin and embryonic growth. It is distinct from IGF-1 and its derivatives despite some shared receptor context.

This is a research reference, not a product offered in the Asciende catalog. Published studies do not establish the identity, purity or availability of a commercial preparation.

Input signal and axis response

Distinguish local mechanism from integrated effect. A whole-axis result needs its time context and cannot be summarized by a receptor name.

Which level of the endocrine axis was manipulated and which was measured?
Does the readout depend on pulses, time or system feedback?
Are molecular forms or the preparation unambiguously described?

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Mechanism described in the literature

In experimental cells, IGF-II recognized insulin-receptor isoform A in addition to its known IGF1R context. Comparison with isoform B showed affinity differences. Naming only the insulin receptor loses an important distinction in interpreting that study.

Classification

Peptide growth factor

Other names

IGF-2
IGF-II
Insulin-like growth factor II

Parental origin changed the genetic outcome

In mice with targeted Igf2 alteration, paternal transmission was associated with reduced growth, while maternal transmission did not produce the same heterozygous phenotype. The difference was linked to allele expression during development. This was not a comparison of externally added peptide quantities.

Imprinting was not uniform across tissues

The mouse study found exceptions to exclusively paternal expression in the choroid plexus and leptomeninges. It therefore does not support absolute maternal silencing throughout the organism. Imprinting conclusions must retain tissue and developmental stage, not just gene name.

Shared receptor does not require a shared response

In IR-A cell models, insulin and IGF-II produced different signaling and functional profiles despite acting at the same isoform. Ligand equivalence is therefore not automatic. Detection of IR-A also does not sufficiently predict every tissue’s behavior.

Questions and answers

Is IGF-2 an alias for IGF-1 LR3?

No. They are distinct entities, and similar names do not make their references interchangeable.

Does the imprinting experiment describe peptide exposure?

No. It examines transmission and expression of a genetic modification in mice.