Description
Insight into the role of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) in development of lungs has come from the study of genetically modified mice. IGF1 is a key factor during lung development. IGF1 deficiency in the neonatal mouse causes respiratory failure collapsed alveoli and altered alveolar septa. To further characterize IGF1 function during lung development we analyzed Igf1-/- mouse prenatal lungs in a C57Bl/6 genetic background. Mutant lungs showed disproportional hypoplasia, disorganized extracellular matrix and dilated alveolar capillaries. IGF1 target genes during lung maturation were identified by analyzing RNA differential expression in Igf1-/- lungs using microarrays.