What makes IGF-1 LR3 different from native IGF-1
Native IGF-1 has a relatively short plasma half-life in research models because it binds tightly to IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) that clear it from circulation. IGF-1 LR3 carries two modifications — a substituted arginine at position 3 and a 13-amino-acid N-terminal extension — that together reduce IGFBP binding and extend the reported plasma half-life dramatically.