Insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are members of the family of the insulin family of growth factors, which activate similar cellular downstream pathways. In this study, we analyzed the effects of insulin and IGF-1 on the proliferation of murine skin keratinocytes in an attempt to determine whether these hormones trigger the same signaling pathways. Increasing doses of insulin and IGF-1 promote keratinocyte proliferation in an additive manner. We identified downstream pathways specifically involved in insulin signaling that are known to play a role in skin physiology; these include activation of the Na + /K + pump and protein kinase C (PKC). Insulin, but not IGF-1, stimulated Na + /K + pump activity. Furthermore, ouabain, a specific Na + /K + pump inhibitor, abolished the proliferative effect of insulin but not that of IGF-1. Insulin and IGF-1 also differentially regulated PKC activation. Insulin, but not IGF-1, specifically activated and translocated the PKC␦ isoform to the membrane fraction. There was no effect on PKC isoforms ␣, , , and , which are expressed in skin. PKC␦ overexpression increased keratinocyte proliferation and Na + /K + pump activity to a degree similar to that induced by insulin but had no affect on IGF-1-induced proliferation. Furthermore, a dominant negative form of PKC␦ abolished the effects of insulin on both proliferation and Na + /K + pump activity but did not abrogate induction of keratinocyte proliferation induced by other growth factors. These data indicate that though insulin or IGF-1 stimulation induce keratinocyte proliferation, only insulin action is specifically mediated via PKC␦ and involves activation of the Na + /K + pump. Diabetes 50:255-264, 2001