Murine bFGF, encoded by the FGF2 gene, is a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. Fibroblast growth factor was found in pituitary extracts in 1973 and then tested in a bioassay that caused fibroblasts to proliferate. After further fractionating the extract using acidic and basic pH, two different forms have isolated that named "acidic fibroblast growth factor" (FGF-1) and "basic fibroblast growth factor" (FGF-2). Murine bFGF shares 95 % amino acid sequence identity with human bFGF. Affinity between bFGF and its receptors can be increased by heparin or heparan sulfate proteoglycan. bFGF plays an important role in the regulation of cell survival, cell division, angiogenesis, cell differentiation and cell migration. bFGF are also involved in a variety of biological processes, including embryonic development , morphogenesis, tissue repair, tumor growth and invasion. Additionally, bFGF is frequently used for a critical component of cell culture medium, e.g., human embryonic stem cell culture medium, serum-free culture systems.
1. Armelin HA. 1973. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 70:2702-6.
2. Gospodarowicz D. 1974. Nature. 249:123-7.
3. Eswarakumar VP, Lax I, Schlessinger J. 2005. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 16:139-49.
4. Ornitz DM, Xu J, Colvin JS, et al. 1996. J Biol Chem. 271:15292-7.
5. Landriscina M, Bagala C, Mandinova A, et al. 2001. J Biol Chem. 276:25549-57.
6. Fernandez IS, Cuevas P, Angulo J, et al. 2010. J Biol Chem. 285:11714-29.
7. Liu Y, Song Z, Zhao Y, et al. 2006. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 346:131-9.