Effects of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I on muscle in mouse models of human growth disorders

The precise effects of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) on muscle development and physiology are relatively unknown. Furthermore, there have been conflicting reports on the effects of GH/IGF-I on muscle. Distinguishing the direct effects of GH versus those of IGF-I is problematic, but animal models with altered GH/IGF-I action could help to alleviate some of the conflicting results and help to determine the independent actions of GH and IGF-I. The phenotypes of several mouse models, namely the GH receptor-gene-disrupted (GHR -/-) mouse and a variety of IGF-I -/- mice, are summarized, which ultimately will aid our understanding of this complex area.