| fibroblast growth factor, basic | A single-chain polypeptide of approximately 15-16 kD which has been isolated from a variety of cells. It has a 55% amino acid residue identity to acidic fibroblast growth factor and has potent heparin-binding activity. However, in contrast to the acidic fibroblast growth factor, heparin does not potentiate the biological activities of bfgf. The growth factor is an extremely potent inducer of DNA synthesis in a variety of normal diploid mammalian cell types from mesoderm and neuroectoderm lineages and promotes cellular differentiation in vitro. (12 Dec 1998) |
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