Proteins that are transmitted from cell to cell as signal transmitters and thus pass on information. Growth factors regulate various intracellular processes in the sense of "signal proteins" and play a particular role in cell proliferation. The signal transmission is usually achieved by binding the growth factor to a specific receptor in the cell membrane. Growth factors are either secreted, i.e. released by cells into the environment, or are membrane-bound. In order to be able to exert their effect, growth factors require a specific receptor. When this receptor binds to its ligand inside the cell, it generates a signal that leads to the activation or deactivation of genes. A typical example of the mode of action of growth factors is angiogenesis or the course of epithelial proliferation, e.g. in psoriasis (here, the interleukins 17(IL-17) and 22 (IL-22) produced by Th-17 lymphocytes play an important role in keratinocyte hyperplasia).
Growth factors
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A large number of growth factors with different signal inductions are known today. These include:
- Family of EGF factors "EGF=Epidermal Growth Factor": see EGF receptorsbelow
- Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF): 2 main forms: basic and acidic fibroblast growth factor
- Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor(GM-CSF)
- Hepatocyte Growth Factor ( HGF)
- Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)
- Interleukin-1B, -8 (IL-1B, IL-8); IL-17, IL-22: see also Interleukins
- Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)
- Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF)
- Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF)
- Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) see below TGF-beta
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor ( VEGF): see also Angiogenesis.
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Growth factor receptors can be found in unusually high numbers in malignant tumours (see also EGF receptor).