Table 4.
Summary of growth factors necessary in tendon regeneration.
| Growth factor | Size (kDa) | Function |
|---|---|---|
| TGF-β | 25 | Promotes angiogenesis and collagen production |
| EGF | 6.4 | Mitogenic to fibroblasts and promotes collagenase activity to remodel the extracellular matrix |
| PDGF-β | 12.3 | Mitogenic to fibroblasts, chemoattractant to macrophages, and assists angiogenesis |
| bFGF | 22–24 | Released from extracellular matrix to promote angiogenesis and granulation |
| VEGF | 38.2 | Vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during tissue hypoxia |
| Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) |
α chain: 69 β chain: 32–34 |
Expressed in wound fibroblasts to regulate growth, motility, and morphogenesis |
| BMP-12,13,14 | 30–38 | Promotes tendon-derived stem cell differentiation into tenocytes |
| Early growth response factor-1 (EGR-1) | 75 | Transcription factor that upregulates collagen and accelerates wound closure |