hbgf 4

FGF (fibroblast growth factor) signalling is known to be required for many aspects of mesoderm formation and patterning during Xenopus development and has been implicated in regulating genes required for the specification of both blood and skeletal muscle lineages. Fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) signaling induces differentiation from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) via the phosphorylation of downstream molecules such as mitogen-activated protein kinase extracellular signal-related kinase (MEK) and extracellular signal-related kinase 1 2 (ERK1 2). Fibroblast Growth Factor 4 (FGF-4) could not only increase the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), but also induce BMSCs into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro. FGF4 transduced BMSCs contributed to liver regeneration might by the transplanted microenvironment. The FGF4-bFGF BMSCs thus can enhance the survival of the transplanted cells, diminish myocardial fibrosis, promote myocardial angiogenesis, and improve cardiac functions.

Fibroblast growth factor 4(FGF-4) is a heparin binding member of the FGF family. The human FGF4 cDNA encodes 206 amino acids (aa) with a 33 aa signal sequence and a 173 aa mature protein with an FGF homology domain that contains a heparin binding region near the C-terminus. Mature human FGF4 shares 91%, 82%, 94% and 91% aa identity with mouse, rat, canine and bovine FGF4, respectively. Human FGF-4 has been shown to exhibit cross species activity. Expression of FGF-4 and its receptors, FGF R1c, 2c, 3c and 4, is spatially and temporally regulated during embryonic development. FGF-4 is proposed to play a physiologically relevant role in human embryonic stem cell selfrenewal. It promotes stem cell proliferation, but may also aid differentiation depending on context and concentration, and is often included in embryonic stem cell media in vitro. FGF-4 is mitogenic for fibroblasts and endothelial cells in vitro and has autocrine transforming potential. It is a potent angiogenesis promoter in vivo and has been investigated as therapy for coronary artery disease.