Central role of insulin in growth and development

Insulin has been shown to have an impact on both prenatal and postnatal growth. Specific mechanisms of insulin action on adipose cell function and lipid storage are well defined. Insulin probably acts in concert with other anabolic factors (i.e., growth hormone and somatomedins) to stimulate muscle protein anabolism and suppress protein catabolism (Figure 2). Insulin also plays a role in energy balance regulation by the hypothalamus, however exact mechanisms of effects on brain metabolism have not been clearly identified.