insulin like growth factor 2

Normal function

The IGF2 gene provides instructions for making a protein called insulin-like growth factor 2. This protein plays an essential role in growth and development before birth. Studies suggest that insulin-like growth factor 2 promotes the growth and division (proliferation) of cells in many different tissues. Although the IGF2 gene is highly active during fetal development, it is much less active after birth.

In most cases, people receive one copy of each gene from the egg cell and one copy from the sperm cell. Both copies are usually active, or "turned on," in cells. However, the activity of the IGF2 gene depends on whether the gene comes from the sperm cell or the egg cell. In most cases, only the IGF2 gene from the sperm cell is active. This parent-specific difference in gene activation is called genomic imprinting.

A nearby region of DNA regulates the genomic imprinting of the IGF2 gene and another gene, called H19, that is important for growth and development. This region is known as an imprinting center or imprinting control region. In a process known as methylation, small molecules called methyl groups are added to the imprinting center to regulate the activity of the IGF2 and H19 genes. Typically, only the copy of the IGF2 imprinting center that is derived from the sperm cell is methylated. 

Conditions referring to this gene or chromosome

• Beckwith-Wiedemann-Syndrom

• Silver-Russell-Syndrom

• Prostatakrebs

• Wilms tumour

Other names

C11orf43

GRDF

IGF-2

IGF-II

insulin-like growth factor 2

insulin-like growth factor II

pp9974

somatomedin A