Families
In humans, 22 members of the FGF family have been identified, all of which are structurally related signaling molecules:
- Members FGF1 through FGF10 all bind fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs). FGF1 is also known as acidic, and FGF2 is also known as basic fibroblast growth factor.
- Members FGF11, FGF12, FGF13, and FGF14, also known as FGF homologous factors 1-4 (FHF1-FHF4), have been shown to have distinct functional differences compared to the FGFs. Although these factors possess remarkably similar sequence homology, they do not bind FGFRs and are involved in intracellular processes unrelated to the FGFs. This group is also known as "iFGF".
- Members FGF16 through FGF23 are newer and not as well characterized. FGF15 is the mouse ortholog of human FGF19 (hence there is no human FGF15).
- Human FGF20 was identified based on its homology to Xenopus FGF-20 (XFGF-20).
- In contrast to the local activity of the other FGFs, FGF15/FGF19, FGF21 and FGF23 have more systemic effects.
Read more about this topic: Fibroblast Growth Factor
Famous quotes containing the word families:
“We are born into them, marry into them, even create them among the people we love. They come large and extended...or small and nuclear. But whatever their size or wherever they live, strong families give us the nurturance and strength we need in order to survive.”
—Andrea Davis (20th century)
“It is ultimately in employers’ best interests to have their employees’ families functioning smoothly. In the long run, children who misbehave because they are inadequately supervised or marital partners who disapprove of their spouse’s work situation are productivity problems. Just as work affects parents and children, parents and children affect the workplace by influencing the employed parents’ morale, absenteeism, and productivity.”
—Ann C. Crouter (20th century)
“Nostalgia is one of the great enemies of clear thinking about the family. The disruption of families in the nineteenth century through death, separation, and other convulsions of an industrializing economy was much more catastrophic than we imagine.”
—Joseph Featherstone (20th century)