Agi ng adversely affects the structure and function of the saliva ry gla nd and leads to ma rked insulin resis t ance that correlates with red uced ins ulin s ignal t ra nsduction, lnsulin-like g rowth factors are k.nown to be regulator involved in embryonic a nd postnatal development with sequences 62% identical t o that of proins ulin , To determine whether i n suli n- like growth facto l' - l, -2, - 1 receptor a l'e involved in the changes in rat salival'y gland by aging, we a na lyzecl the qua nti tation of 19f - 1, -2, - 1 rece ptor mRNA in l'at salivary glancl between 2 weeks and 26 months after bir th using the competiti ve reverse t ra nscriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) methocl Between 2 weeks ancl 2 months age, sharp falls in the qua nt ities of Igf-2 mRNA were observed, W11ereas Igf- 1 receptor mRNA rose by aging, but not sig nifïcantly, The quanti t ies of 19f- l kept by aging, These change seem to be involvecl a role fol' the Igf-2 in sali va ry c1evelopment a ncl earl y growth is incli ca ted, Thus, t he dras tic changes in the qua ntities of Igf-2 mRNA in the ra t sali va ry gla nd by aging seem to be in volved in the development, early growth and homeostasis of sali vary gla nd,