The role of hepatocyte growth factor/c-met interactions in the immune system.
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic cytokine with mitogenic, motogenic and morphogenic activity for mainly epithelial and endothelial target cells. All the different effects of HGF are mediated through its specific receptor met, a heterodimeric transmembrane tyrosine kinase. The broad activity of HGF and its impact on many physiologic and pathologic processes are reflected by met expression in a variety of organs and cell types. This paper discusses expression of HGF and c-met within the immune system and their interactions in the control of immune cell functions.
Skibinski
Grzegorz
G
Respiratory Research Group, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Institute of Clinical Science, Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BJ, Northern Ireland, UK. G.Skibinski@qub.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000209:etiology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000502:physiology; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000502:physiology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / Q000502:physiology*
D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019859:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met