The IGF2 gene encodes a member of the insulin family of polypeptide growth factors that is involved in development and growth. It is expressed only from the paternally inherited allele and is an imprinted gene which is a candidate gene for eating disorders. There is a read-through, INS-IGF2, which aligns to this gene at the 3' region and to the upstream INS gene at the 5' region. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same protein have been found for this gene. Insulin Like Growth Factor-2 (IGF-2) is a polypeptide growth factor, which stimulates the proliferation of a wide range of cell types.