Lexic.us

Definition of Growth factor

1. Noun. A protein that is involved in cell differentiation and growth.

Definition of Growth factor

1. Noun. A naturally-occurring substance capable of stimulating cellular growth, proliferation, and cellular differentiation. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Medical Definition of Growth factor

1. A complex family of polypeptide hormones or biological factors that are produced by the body to control growth, division and maturation of blood cells by the bone marrow. They regulate the division and proliferation of cells and influence the growth rate of some cancers. These factors occur naturally but some can be synthesised using molecular biology techniques and are used clinically to stimulate normal white cell production following chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation. Examples include epidermal growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor. Insulin and somatomedin are also growth factors, the status of nerve growth factor is more uncertain. Perturbation of growth factor production or of the response to growth factor is important in neoplastic transformation. (29 Sep 1997)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Growth Factor

Literary usage of Growth factor

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Molecular Neurobiology: Proceedings of the 2nd NIMH Conference by Steven Zalcman (1995)
"growth factor-induced activation of a kinase activity which causes regulatory ... Milbrandt, J. Nerve growth factor induces a gene homologous to the ..."

2. Reviews in Environmental Health (1998): Toxicological Defense Mechanics edited by Gary E. R. Hook, George W. Lucier (2000)
"Palombella VJ, Mendelsohn J, Vilcek J. Mitogenic action of tumor necrosis factor in human fibroblasts: interaction with 67. epidermal growth factor and ..."

3. Osteoporosis Research, Education and Health Promotion (1993)
"These factors are generally referred to as bone-derived growth factors (BDGF), and they include: platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), acidic and basic ..."

4. The Teaching of Algebra (including Trigonometry) by Thomas Percy Nunn (1914)
"Nor can we argue that the growth-factor for six months is one half of the ... This number must be divided by r, the growth-factor (in this case) for a ..."

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