IGF2 acts downstream of Hippo signaling to regulate organ growth and restore liver regeneration in aging.

Hippo-IGF2 signaling axis regulates organ growth and can restore liver regeneration in aged mice, with Igf2 expression linked to organ size control.

• Why it matters: Understanding how organ size is precisely regulated is crucial for addressing growth disorders and improving regenerative therapies, especially in aging tissues.
• What they did: The study examined mouse liver development and injury models, revealing that Igf2 is highly expressed in fetal and neonatal hepatocytes but silenced postnatally by Hippo signaling; in injury, Hippo inactivation induces Igf2, which is essential for regeneration, and ectopic Igf2 can restore regeneration in aged mice.
• The result: The findings suggest the Hippo-IGF2 axis is a key regulator of growth and organ size, with circulating IGF2 able to compensate for local deficiencies, enabling potential therapeutic strategies for growth and regeneration.