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PLATELET‐DERIVED GROWTH FACTOR AND ITS ROLE IN ATHEROGENESIS: A BRIEF REVIEW
Author(s) -
Tennant Marc,
McGeachie John K.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.111
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 0004-8682
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1991.tb00273.x
Subject(s) - platelet derived growth factor receptor , medicine , pathogenesis , platelet derived growth factor , growth factor , platelet , vascular smooth muscle , smooth muscle , function (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , endothelium , immunology , cancer research , endocrinology , biology , receptor
A number of locally acting growth factors are now widely understood to be important in the regulation of cellular activity. Platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) is one of the best known and is an important mitogenic stimulant of vascular tissues. PDGF is stored primarily by platelets but other cells, including endothelium and smooth muscle, can act as sources. The mitogenic properties of PDGF may be influential in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. PDGF has access to the vascular intima and may act upon smooth muscle cells to produce proliferation, a primary feature of atherosclerosis. In this brief review we examine the structure, function and influences of PDGF with special emphasis on its potential role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.