PDGF-B

The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) family consists of four different polypeptide chains; PDGF-A, PDGF-B, PDGF-C and PDGF-D, sharing approximately 25% sequence homology. The biological effects of PDGF-B are exerted via two receptor tyrosine kinases, PDGFRA and PDGFRB. PDGF-B is expressed predominantly in platelets and the heart, but has been detected in the majority of human organs.

PDGF-B is a potent mitogen for mesenchymal cells such as fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and neuroectodermal cells such as oligodendrocytes, and plays a critical role in wound healing and tumor development. PDGF-B is an important growth factor contributing to angiogenesis and possibly lymphatic metastasis due to lymphangiogenesis. Additionally, PDGF-B plays a crucial role in wound healing. Studies have also suggested that PDGF-B is involved in the CNS including having a neuroprotective or neurotrophic effect in the developing or adult CNS, promoting angiogenic responses to injury in the CNS and remyelination.