Regulation of body growth.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose of review

Recent basic studies have yielded important new insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate growth locally. Simultaneously, clinical studies have identified new molecular defects that cause growth failure and overgrowth, and genome-wide association studies have elucidated the genetic basis for normal human height variation.

Recent findings

The Hippo pathway has emerged as one of the major mechanisms controlling organ size. In addition, an extensive genetic program has been described that allows rapid body growth in the fetus and infant but then causes growth to slow with age in multiple tissues. In human genome-wide association studies, hundreds of loci associated with adult stature have been identified; many appear to involve genes that function l

SUBMITTER: Lui JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6309954 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature