Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học 'Respiratory Research cung cấp cho các bạn kiến thức về ngành y đề tài:Growth factors in lung development and disease: friends or foe. | Available online http content 3 1 2 Commentary Growth factors in lung development and disease friends or foe Tushar J Desai and Wellington V Cardoso Pulmonary Center Boston University School of Medicine Boston Massachusetts USA Correspondence Wellington V Cardoso MD PhD Pulmonary Center Boston University School of Medicine 80 East Concord Street R304 Boston MA 02I18 USA. Tel 1 617 638 6198 fax 1 el 536 8093 e-mail wcardoso@ Received 19 June 2001 Revisions requested 3 July 2001 Revisions received 7 August 2001 Accepted 9 August 2001 Published 9 October 2001 Respir Res 2002 3 2 2002 BioMed Central Ltd Print ISSN 1465-9921 Online ISSN 1465-993X Abstract Growth factors mediate tissue interactions and regulate a variety of cellular functions that are critical for normal lung development and homeostasis. Besides their involvement in lung pattern formation growth and cell differentiation during organogenesis these factors have been also implicated in modulating injury-repair responses of the adult lung. Altered expression of growth factors such as transforming growth factor p1 vascular endothelial growth factor and epidermal growth factor and or their receptors has been found in a number of pathological lung conditions. In this paper we discuss the dual role of these molecules in mediating beneficial feedback responses or responses that can further damage lung integrity we shall also discuss the basis for their prospective use as therapeutic agents. Keywords airway branching growth factors lung development lung injury-repair Introduction Growth factors are diffusible proteins that act within a short distance of where they are produced to induce a variety of cellular activities through activation of diverse signaling pathways. While their function has been traditionally associated with promotion of cell proliferation these factors are increasingly recognized as important mediators of tissue interactions in the developing and adult .
