Isolation and expression of five-amino-acid-deleted variant of feline hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) cDNA.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that stimulates a wide array of cellular targets, including hepatocytes and other epithelial cells, melanocytes, endothelial and hematopoietic cells. We have cloned a different form of cDNA, with a deletion of 15 base pairs predicted to result in the loss of 5 amino acids from the first kringle domain. To investigate the biological activity, original and deleted variant of feline HGF cDNAs were transiently expressed in COS-7 cells.

Canine hepatocyte growth factor: molecular cloning and characterization of the recombinant protein.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic cytokine originally identified and cloned as a potent mitogen for hepatocytes. The HGF receptor is the transmembrane tyrosine kinase encoded by c-MET proto-oncogene. Various lines of evidence suggest that the HGF/c-MET receptor system plays essential roles in monocyte-macrophage function, mammalian development, angiogenesis and organ regeneration.