VEGFC (Flt4L) [E6]

The onset of angiogenesis is believed to be an early event in tumorigenesis and may facilitate tumor progression and metastasis. Several growth factors with angiogenic activity have been described. These include fibroblast growth factor (FGF), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF is a dimeric glycoprotein with structural homology to PDGF. Several variants of VEGF have been described that arise by alternative mRNA splicing. It has been speculated that VEGF may function as a tumor angiogenesis factor in vivo. Two additional proteins, designated VEGFB and VEGF-C, share a significant degree of homology with VEGF. VEGFB is abundantly expressed in heart and skeletal muscle and is frequently coexpressed with VEGF. VEGFC binds to and specifically activates VEGFR3 and VEGFR2. Growth factor active in angiogenesis, and endothelial cell growth, stimulating their proliferation and migration and also has effects on the permeability of blood vessels. May function in angiogenesis of the venous and lymphatic vascular systems during embryogenesis, and also in the maintenance of differentiated lymphatic endothelium in adults.