Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic growth factor secreted by mesenchymal stromal cells, which targets and acts upon epithelial cells, endothelial cells, haemopoietic progenitor cells and T cells. HGF regulates cell growth, cell motility, and morphogenesis by activating a tyrosine kinase signaling cascade after binding to its receptor, tyrosine-protein kinase Met (c-MET). HGF is involved in the regulation of growth, motility, and morphogenesis of various cell types, and plays an important role in wound-healing, tissue or organ regeneration, angiogenesis, and carcinogenesis.