A research team has identified a certain protein that controls the time needed to stimulate hormone receptors.

Led by professor Ryu Sung-ho at Pohang University of Science and Technology, the team said Monday that it has found Phospholipase D controls the time for growth factors or insulin to stimulate receptors.

Published in the latest issue of the global journal Nature Cell Biology, the findings are expected to help understand relations among cells and help in the development of treatment for cancer and diabetes.