The cellular distribution of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) immunoreactivity was examined in the rat brain from embryonic day 15 to maturity. IGF-I immunoreactivity was found in the perikarya of neurons distributed along the entire extension of the neuronal tube in all the embryonic ages studied (E15, E17, E19 and E21). In E21 animals, the majority of immunoreactive neurons was located in the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum, diencephalon, mesencephalic colliculi, trigeminal nuclei, trigeminal ganglion and in motoneurons of the brainstem. In 10- and 20-day-old rats, in addition to the above areas, IGF-I immunoreactivity was also observed in capillary walls, ependymal cells, choroid plexus, glial cells and most fiber paths. In postnatal ages, immunoreactivity in neuronal somas was mainly restricted to the cell nuclei. However, IGF-I immunoreactivity in the neuronal cytoplasm was observed in 20-day-old rats treated with colchicine while fiber paths and neuronal cell nuclei were negative in these animals. In the telencephalon of 20-day-old rats injected with colchicine, the most intense immunoreactive neurons were observed in the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, tenia tecta, hippocampus, islands of Calleja, septal nuclei, striatum, endopyriform nucleus and amygdala. Most diencephalic nuclei, the substantia nigra, the mesencephalic colliculi, Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex and several nuclei in mesencephalon, pons and medulla oblongata were also immunoreactive. In adult rats injected with colchicine, IGF-I immunoreactivity was located in the same areas as in 20-day-old rats. The number of immunoreactive cells and the intensity of the staining was reduced in adult rats as compared to that found in young postnatal animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)