Epidermal Growth Factor
Epidermal Growth Factor
Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) is a protein that stimulates cell growth and differentiation by binding to its receptor, EGFR.
Pronunciation
Epidermal Growth Factor is pronounced as /ˌɛpɪˈdɜːrməl ˈɡroʊθ ˈfæktər/.
Etymology
The term "Epidermal Growth Factor" comes from the fact that the protein was first discovered in the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. The term "growth factor" refers to its ability to stimulate cell growth and differentiation.
Function
Epidermal Growth Factor is a powerful stimulator of cellular proliferation, differentiation, and survival. It is produced by many cell types, including fibroblasts, macrophages, and platelets, and acts by binding to the EGF Receptor, a transmembrane protein that is activated by EGF binding.
Related Terms
- EGF Receptor: The receptor to which EGF binds to exert its effects.
- Cell Proliferation: The process that results in an increase in the number of cells, and is defined by the balance between cell divisions and cell loss through cell death or differentiation.
- Cell Differentiation: The process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type.
- Fibroblasts: A type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix and collagen, the structural framework for animal tissues, and plays a critical role in wound healing.
- Macrophages: A type of white blood cell that engulfs and digests cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and cancer cells in a process called phagocytosis.
- Platelets: Tiny blood cells that help your body form clots to stop bleeding.
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