[Growth Hormone-Insulin Growth Factor I (GH-IGF-I) axis and growth]

Normal human linear growth results from an evolutionary process expressing the sum effect of multiple genes. The growth hormone (GH) - insulin like growth factor (IGF)-I axis is one of the main actors in the growth process. Defects in this axis can be responsible for short or tall stature. Short stature is defined as smaller than - 2 standard deviations (SD). It is a very common reason for consultation in pediatrics; indeed, 2.5 % of children are concerned. Multiple causes make diagnosis difficult. In this article, we detail the most common constitutional causes of small size, including those related to a defect in the GH-IGF-I axis. Then, we report, the first results of the clinical and genetic study conducted on 213 patients with gigantism. Tall stature is defined by a height superior to 2 SD. Finally, recent work linking epigenetics and growth - via signaling pathways of GH-IGF-I axis - will be presented.