FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR
fibroblast growth factor: translation
(= FGF; aFGF; bFGF; HBGF)
Also known as heparin-binding growth factor (HBGF). Acidic FGF (a-FGF, HBGF 1) and basic FGF (b-FGF, HBGF 2) are the two founder members of a family of structurally related growth factors for mesodermal and neuroectodermal cells. Both aFGF and bFGF lack a signal sequence and the pathway of release is unclear. In addition to their growth promoting activity FGFs play an important part in developmental signalling.