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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 2020 Dec 1;57:11–18. doi: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.11.002

Figure 2. GDF-15 in Growth and Development:

Figure 2.

Babies born small for gestational age (SGA) have significantly less GDF-15. Like babies born at the appropriate weight, GDF-15 continues to drop during growth and development, but the drop is far greater in SGA infants. This is believed to contribute to SGA babies “catching up” in weight to the appropriate weight counterparts (A). Failure to thrive is a condition commonly caused by congenital heart defects. GDF-15 is increased here, leading to impaired liver signaling, and decreased insulin-like growth factor (B).