What are Growth Factors and Receptors?

Growths and Receptors Factor
Growths and Receptors Factor. Human skeletal muscle; laser scanning confocal microscopy; basal laminae are visualized by laminin expression (green). c-kit-positive cells (A) and pericapillary platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β-positive cells (B) are clearly located in the interstitial space (arrowheads), between two adjacent skeletal muscle fibres enclosed by basal laminae. Nuclei are counterstained with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (blue). Platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β-positive telocytes in skeletal muscle interstitium. Suciu LC, Popescu BO, Kostin S, Popescu LM - Journal of cellular and molecular medicine (2012). Not Altered. CC.

Growth factors and receptors are transmembrane proteins which bind to specific growth factors and transmit the instructions conveyed by the factors to intracellular space. The main role of growth factors is to promote cell growth and division.

Types of growth factors include:

  • Epidermal growth factor (EGF)
  • Transforming growth factor α (TGF-α)
  • Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)
  • Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)
  • Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs)
  • Fibroblast growth factors (FGF)
  • Transforming growth factors (TGFs)