Effects of insulin and insulin-like growth factors I and II on the growth of equine fetal and neonatal chondrocytes.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
The research examines how insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) affect the growth of fetal and newborn horse cells in a laboratory setting. The data suggests that these elements could play important roles in cell survival and growth, and increased understanding of these roles could contribute to improved methods of animal care.
Study Methodology and Results
The researchers started by extracting specific cells, known as chondrocytes, from the femur joint of two horse fetuses and one newborn horse. These cells were then cultured in laboratory conditions. The team used techniques called radioligand cross linking and equilibrium binding analysis to identify the presence of two specific proteins, known as type 1 and type 2 IGF receptors, in these cells.
- IGF-I and IGF-II, when present as the only growth-inducing factors, stimulated the growth of these cells.
- Insulin, on the other hand, was shown to support the survival and growth of these cell populations, but it was less effective in stimulating growth compared to the IGFs.
Interpreting the Findings
These findings led the researchers to propose that insulin might have a role in sustaining the life of chondrocytes, or even in suppressing their transformation and programmed cell death (apoptosis). This led them to hypothesize that relatively high insulin levels could be linked with a horse bone disorder known as dyschondroplasia, or osteochondrosis.
Implications and Potential Benefits
Knowing how insulin and IGFs influence chondrocytes could help in understanding the factors leading to equine dyschondroplasia. This could be important because the disease causes joint problems in horses, and there’s a need to find new ways to prevent and treat it.
- Understanding these factors could contribute to the development of new methods of animal husbandry that reduce the risk of the disease, especially in populations that are known to be predisposed to it.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn / growth & development
- Animals, Newborn / physiology
- Apoptosis / drug effects
- Apoptosis / physiology
- Cartilage, Articular / cytology
- Cartilage, Articular / embryology
- Cartilage, Articular / growth & development
- Causality
- Cell Cycle
- Cell Differentiation / drug effects
- Cell Differentiation / physiology
- Cell Division / drug effects
- Cell Division / physiology
- Cell Membrane / chemistry
- Cells, Cultured
- DNA / biosynthesis
- Female
- Femur / cytology
- Femur / embryology
- Femur / growth & development
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses / embryology
- Horses / growth & development
- Horses / physiology
- Insulin / pharmacology
- Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / pharmacology
- Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / pharmacology
- Osteochondrodysplasias / epidemiology
- Osteochondrodysplasias / veterinary
- Pregnancy
- Receptors, Somatomedin / analysis
- Risk Factors
- Thymidine / metabolism
Citations
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