FGF19, Fibroblast growth factor 19, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FGF19 gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. The FGF19 gene is mapped to 11q13.3. The deduced 216-amino acid FGF19 protein contains asignal sequence and 2 cysteine residues that are conserved in the FGF family. Expression of this gene was detected only in fetal but not adult brain tissue. Synergistic interaction of the chick homolog and Wnt-8c has been shown to be required for initiation of inner ear development. FGF19 stimulates hepatic protein and glycogen synthesis but does not induce lipogenesis. The effects of FGF19 are independent of the activity of either insulin or the protein kinase Akt and, instead, are mediated through a mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway that activates components of the protein translation machinery and stimulates glycogen synthase activity.