Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor, a cytokine playing multiple and converse roles
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Jiang, W. G. [1] ; Hiscox, S. [1]
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[1] University of Wales
University of Wales
Castle, Reino Unido
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- Localización: Histology and histopathology: cellular and molecular biology, ISSN-e 1699-5848, ISSN 0213-3911, Vol. 12, Nº. 2, 1997, págs. 537-555
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
Hepatocyte growth fac tor (HGF), otherwise known as scatte r fac tor (SF), is a recently identified cy tokine whi ch exe rts a wide spectrum of bio logica l func tio ns o n a va ri e ty of ce ll types. Its rece ptor is encoded by the c-mel proto-oncogene. HGF/SF has been impli ca te d in th e reg ul a tio n of mi toge nesis, motoge nesis, and mo rphoge nesis. Ove r the past few yea rs, the struc ture, function and sig nal transduc tion pa thways of HG F/SF and its rece ptor have become clea rer. The cy tokine is now know to pl ay import ant ro les in the regul atio n of both no rmal physiologica l processes as we ll as pa tho log ica l o nes. Th is rev iew summarises recent progress involving HGF/SF and its receptor and discusses the ir role in cell biology, organ regeneration, cancer and other processes.
Hepatocyte g rowth factor (HGF) is a ple iotropic growth factor originally identified as a potent mitogen age nt for rat hepatocy tes. Subsequ ent studi es have shown that it is mitogenic fo r a wide range of epithelial cells and not limited to hepatocytes. Its behaviour as a mo toge ni c stimul a to r pr o mo ted its inde pe nd e nt discove ry and naming of scatter factor (SF). Analysis of cDNA and amino acid sequences have revealed that the two mo lecul es are th e same. A numbe r of cy tokine agents are known to stimul ate cellular motility, however, it is the functio n of HGF/SF as a potent motoge ni c, mitogenic and morpho-regul atory agent on the diverse va ri e ty of ce ll ty pes th a t makes th e d iscove ry of HGF/SF fac tor one of the most inte resting stori es in terms of identification of novel cytok ines.
