The hormone IGF-1: A trigger of puberty

The onset of puberty is triggered by pulsatile release of the hormone GnRH from nerve cells in a region of the brain known as the hypothalamus. Exactly what signals tell these nerve cells to release GnRH in this manner has not been determined, although it has been suggested that hormones associated with good nutritional status (such as insulin and IGF-1) have a role. A team of researchers, led by Sara DiVall, at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, has now confirmed that in mice IGF-1 does indeed have a key role in coordinating the timing of puberty onset...

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