Human VEGF Protein, Isoform 165, Recombinant

Description :
VEGF, also known as VEGF-A (vascular endothelial growth factor A) and VPF (vascular permeability factor), is the founding member of the VEGF family, including VEGF-A, VEGF-B, VEGF-C, VEGF-D, VEGF-E, and PIGF. VEGFs are secreted polypeptides with a highly conserved receptor-binding cystine-knot structure similar to that of the platelet-derived growth factors (PDGF). VEGF plays important roles in vascular development and in diseases involving abnormal growth of blood vessels such as tumor-related angiogenesis. VEGF is a growth factor active in angiogenesis, vasculogenesis and endothelial cell growth. It induces endothelial cell proliferation, promotes cell migration, inhibits apoptosis and increases permeabilization of blood vessels. VEGF is involved in normal and pathological angiogenesis, a process that is associated with inflammation, wound healing, embryonic development, growth and metastasis of solid tumors. Elevated levels of VEGF have been detected in patients with cancer and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. VEGF is known to bind to the FLT1 (VEGFR1) and KDR (VEGFR2) receptors, heparan sulfate and heparin. Targeting VEGF signaling pathway has shown therapeutic benefits in multiple cancer types. Alternately spliced VEGF isoforms of 121, 145, 165, 183, 189, and 206 amino acids in length exist in human. VEGF165 appears to be the most abundant isoform, followed by VEGF121 and VEGF189. Isoforms other than VEGF121 contain basic heparin­binding regions and are thus not freely diffusible. Human and cynomolgus VEGF165 are identical.