Epidermal Growth Factor

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a small 53 amino acid polypeptide growth factor that stimulates cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and survival by binding to its receptor EGFR. It plays a key role in the regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and tissue repair processes such as wound healing and maintenance of healthy skin structure and function. Overexpression or dysregulation is implicated in cancer biology.

Other names

Urogastrone

EGF binds to the plasma membrane-located EGFR, a transmembrane protein tyrosine kinase receptor. Ligand binding induces dimerization of EGFR, activating its intrinsic kinase activity through autophosphorylation on specific tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic domain. This activates multiple signal transduction pathways including MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and JNK, leading to cellular effects such as DNA synthesis, cellular proliferation/differentiation/survival, migration/adhesion changes, actin cytoskeleton remodeling, angiogenesis promotion, and mucosal protection/healing.