Binding properties and proliferative potency of insulin-like growth factor I in fetal mouse liver cells.

Specific high-affinity receptor(s) for insulin-like growth factor I have been identified in fetal mouse liver cells (FMLC) rich in late erythroid progenitors (CFU-E). Competition for [125I]IGF-I binding by IGFs and insulin demonstrated the presence of Type-I IGF receptors. Scatchard analysis of the binding data revealed a single class of receptors (Kd, 1.2 nM; R0, 600 sites per cell). Erythroid colony formation and DNA synthesis by these cells were enhanced by IGF-I alone or in combination with erythropoietin (Epo). Subfractionations of FMLC using Percoll density gradients showed that a significant part of [125I]IGF-I binding was observed in the CFU-E-enriched fraction and that the erythroid colony formation was mostly enhanced by IGF-I in the same fraction. IGF-I stimulated the phosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the Type-I receptors. These results indicate that IGF-I modulates the Epo-stimulated proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitors via its specific receptors.