Heparin and HS (heparan sulfate) exert their wide range of biological activities by interacting with extracellular protein ligands. Among these important protein ligands are various angiogenic growth factors and cytokines. HS binding to VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) regulates multiple aspects of vascular development and function through its specific interaction with HS. Many studies...

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) is produced by mesangial cells (MCs) and likely functions to modulate glomerular IGF-I activity. Although IGFBP-5 may be inhibitory for IGF-stimulated MC activity, preliminary studies suggested that IGFBP-5 acts directly on MCs. To investigate this further, we evaluated the effects of IGFBP-5 on rat MC migration. We found that the...

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a recently identified member of the EGF family of growth factors and a potent mitogen for smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells genetically engineered to express the human EGF receptor bind with high affinity both EGF and HB-EGF. CHO mutant cells lacking heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) bind EGF equally well...

The heparin-binding site of antithrombin is shown here to play a crucial role in mediating the antiangiogenic activity of conformationally altered cleaved and latent forms of the serpin. Blocking the heparin-binding site of cleaved or latent antithrombin by complexation with a high-affinity heparin pentasaccharide abolished the serpin's ability to inhibit proliferation, migration, capillary-lik...

Acidic human fibroblast growth factor (hFGF1) plays a key role in cell growth and proliferation. Activation of the cell surface FGF receptor is believed to involve the glycosaminoglycan, heparin. However, the exact role of heparin is a subject of considerable debate. In this context, in this study, the correlation between heparin binding affinity and cell proliferation activity of hFGF1 is exam...

The heparin binding site of the anticoagulant protein antithrombin III (ATIII) has been defined at high resolution by alanine scanning mutagenesis of 17 basic residues previously thought to interact with the cofactor based on chemical modification experiments, analysis of naturally occurring dysfunctional antithrombins, and proximity to helix D. The baculovirus expression system employed for th...

background: spermatogonial stem cells (sscs), a subset of undifferentiated type a spermatogonia, are the foundation of complex process of spermatogenesis and could be propagated in vitro culture conditions for long time for germ cell transplantation and fertility preservation. objective: the aim of this study was in vitro propagation of human spermatogonial stem cells (sscs) and improvement of ...

Whether mesenchymal-epithelial interactions leading to branching morphogenesis in developing epithelial tissues such as the kidney require direct cell-cell contact or are due to soluble mediators elaborated by the inducing tissue has been the subject of much debate. Here we demonstrate that ureteric bud (UB) epithelium, from which the kidney collecting system and upper urinary tract are derived...

BACKGROUND Factor H regulates the alternative pathway of complement. The protein has three heparin-binding sites, is synthesized primarily in the liver and copurifies from platelets with thrombospondin-1. Factor H mutations at the C-terminus are associated with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition in which platelets are consumed. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate if...

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) exhibits activity as a juxtacrine, paracrine, and autocrine ligand for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and possesses the ability to bind heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). The interaction of HB-EGF with HSPGs has been previously studied only with the soluble (autocrine/paracrine) form of the protein (sHB-EGF), ...