Bengt Westermark

Role of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor in Vivo

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) was originally identified as a mitogen for fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and glial cells (Kohler and Lipton, 1974; Ross et al., 1974; Westermark and Wasteson, 1976). PDGF was subsequently purified from human platelets (Antoniades et al., 1979; Deuel et al., 1981; Heldin et al., 1979; Raines and Ross, 1982). More recent studies have shown that PDGF is synthesized by a number of cell types and also acts on many different cell types (for reviews on PDGF, see Heldin and Westermark, 1990; Raines et al., 1990).