胰岛素样生长因子(Insulin-like growth factors,IGFs),是机体生理情况下调控生长和发育的重要生长因子。IGFs在长骨发育,即软骨内化骨的调控中发挥重要作用。IGF-I参与调节了间充质干细胞的成软骨过程并进而参与了软骨组织稳态的保持。胰岛素样生长因子结合蛋白(Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins,IGFBPs)代表了一个能与IGF-I和IGF-2相结合的进化上保守的蛋白质家族,包括6个独立的家族成员IGFBP1、2、3、4、5、6,它们具有调控和储存转运IGFs的作用以及独立于IGFs的作用,在机体生长和发育中发挥重要的功能,在软骨组织的发育中同样扮演着重要的角色。本文综述了IGFs和IGFBPs对软骨细胞生长和发育的生理调节功能,从而为IGFs在软骨组织工程领域的应用提供参考。

Insulin-like growth factors(IGFs) are important growth factors regulating body growth and development especially on endochondral ossification.IGF-I involves in chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells and maintenance of mature cartilage.Insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins(IGFBPs) represent a evolutionarily conservative protein family including 6 independent family members:IGFBP1,2,3,4,5,6.They regulate functions of IGFs,exert functions of storage and transport of IGFs and have some IGF independent actions.IGFBPs play an important role in regulating cartilage development too.The regulatory role of IGFs and IGFBPs on chondrocytes growth and development were reviewed.The references for cartilage tissue engineering were provided.