Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Isolation and Quantitative Immunocytochemical Characterization of Primary Myogenic Cells and Fibroblasts from Human Skeletal Muscle
Published on: January 12, 2015
Insulin and insulinlike growth factor receptors and responses in cultured human muscle cells
Specific receptors for insulinlike growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II) were found on cultured human myoblasts and myotubes. In contrast, myotubes but not myoblasts specifically bound insulin and were stimulated by nanomolar concentrations of insulin to take up deoxyglucose. In addition, in myoblasts, physiological concentrations of IGF-I and -II and, to a lesser extent, insulin stimulated two- to threefold the uptake of the nonmetabolizable amino acid analogue methylaminoisobutyric acid (MAIB). In myotubes, uptake of MAIB was stimulated preferentially by IGF-I. Monoclonal antibodies that preferentially recognize either the insulin receptor or the IGF-I receptor were utilized to examine which receptors mediated the biological effects of these hormones. The effects of insulin on both myoblasts and myotubes appeared to be mediated in part by the insulin receptor and in part by the IGF-I receptor. In myotubes, the effects of IGF-I and -II both appeared to be mediated through the IGF-I receptor. In myoblasts, the effects of the two IGFs appeared to be in part mediated by the IGF-I receptor and in part mediated by either the IGF-II receptor or another type of IGF-I receptor. The present results suggest that cultured human muscle cells provide a useful model system in which to study the biological actions of insulin and the IGFs.
Specific receptors for insulinlike growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II) were found on cultured human myoblasts and myotubes. In contrast, myotubes but not myoblasts specifically bound insulin and were stimulated by nanomolar concentrations of insulin to take up deoxyglucose. In addition, in myoblasts, physiological concentrations of IGF-I and -II and, to a lesser extent, insulin stimulated two- to threefold the uptake of the nonmetabolizable amino acid analogue methylaminoisobutyric acid (MAIB). In myotubes, uptake of MAIB was stimulated preferentially by IGF-I. Monoclonal antibodies that preferentially recognize either the insulin receptor or the IGF-I receptor were utilized to examine which receptors mediated the biological effects of these hormones. The effects of insulin on both myoblasts and myotubes appeared to be mediated in part by the insulin receptor and in part by the IGF-I receptor. In myotubes, the effects of IGF-I and -II both appeared to be mediated through the IGF-I receptor. In myoblasts, the effects of the two IGFs appeared to be in part mediated by the IGF-I receptor and in part mediated by either the IGF-II receptor or another type of IGF-I receptor. The present results suggest that cultured human muscle cells provide a useful model system in which to study the biological actions of insulin and the IGFs.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
Insulin and C-peptide are co-secreted in...
Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways

