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KMID : 1161519980020010001
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Animal Cells and Systems
1998 Volume.2 No. 1 p.1 ~ p.8
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Hepatocyte growth factor and met: Molecular dialogue for tissue organization and repair
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Matsumoto Kunio
Nakamura Toshikazu
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Abstract
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Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), originally discovered and cloned as a powerful mitogen for hepatocytes, is a four kringle?containing growth factor which specifically binds to membrane?spanning tyrosine kinase, c?Met/HGF receptor. HGF has mitogenic, motogenic (enhancement of cell movement), morphogenic (e.g., induction of branching tubulogenesis), and anti?apoptotic activities for a wide variety of cells. During embryogenesis, HGF supports organogenesis and morphogenesis of various tissues, including liver, kidney, lung, gut, mammary gland, and tooth. In adult tissues HGF elicits an organotrophic function which supports regeneration of organs such as liver, kidney, lung, and vascular tissues. HGF is also a novel member of neurotrophic factor in nervous systems. Together with the preferential expression of HGF in mesenchymal or stromal cells, and c?Met/HGF receptor in epithelial or endothelial cells, the HGF?Met coupling seems to orchestrate dynamic morphogenic processes through epithelial?mesenchymal (or?stromal) interactions for organogenesis and organ regeneration. HGF or HGF gene may well become unique therapeutic tools for treatment of patients with various organ failure, through its actions to reconstruct organized tissue architectures. This review focuses on recently characterized biological and physiological functions integrated by HGF?Met coupling during organogenesis and organ regeneration.
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KEYWORD
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Anti-apoptosis, c-Met, Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, Hepatocyte growth factor, Morphogenesis, Regeneration
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