A potential role for IGF-II function in the pancreas is supported by two bodies of work; those showing a key functional role for loss of imprinting and re-expression of IGF-II in supporting the expansion and progression of beta cell-derived cancers [20], [21] and those showing the activity of IGF-II as a survival factor, in vitro and in vivo, largely preventing the wave of developmental apoptosis [17], [18] and having an effect on beta cell mass regulation [19], [38]. Here, IGF2 is linked to cancer.