A growth factor is a naturally occurring substance capable of stimulating cellular differentiation and proliferation. In most cases, growth factors are a protein. Growth factors and adult stem cells go hand in hand.
Once the growth factors bind to the cell-surface receptors a sequence of health promoting events inside the cell begin. There are a number of different growth factors and they have different roles to perform. However, to summarize their key role, once the cell communication and signaling is initiated, the growth factors get to work on facilitating their repair and renewal capabilities in a variety of ways ranging from tissue and wound repair, the healing of collagen, development of the central nervous system, and enhancing immune response and metabolic processes.
Here is just a snapshot of some important growth factors:
- Epidermal growth factor (EGF)
- Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)
- Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)
- Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)
- Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-2)
- Nerve growth factor (NGF) and other neurotrophins
- Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)
- Transforming growth factor alpha(TGF-α)
- Transforming growth factor beta(TGF-β)
- Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)
- IL-1- Cofactor for IL-3 and IL-6 [Activates T cells]
- IL-6- Stimulates Ig synthesis [Growth factor for plasma cells]
- Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
Here Doctor Hauser talks about the important role of growth factors.
