EGF

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is the prototypic member of the EGF superfamily of peptide growth factors, which is compose of a single-chain polypeptide containing a total of 53 amino acid residues. EGF is synthesized as a precursor consisting of 1217 amino acid residues, from which the mature form may be generated by proteolysis. EGF is a potent mitogenic factor, which acts by binding with high affinity to the cell surface receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/ErbB). EGF plays an important role in the growth, proliferation and differentiation of numerous cell types, especially fibroblasts and epithelial cells. . Defects in EGF gene are the cause of hypomagnesemia type 4. In addition, dysregulation of this gene has been associated with the growth and progression of certain cancers.