| Description |
Bovine Betacellulin (BTC), a member of the EGF family, is an 80 amino acid heparin-binding protein. Like other members of the EGF family, it is synthesized as a transmembrane precursor. The soluble cytokine, containing one EGF structural motif, is released by proteolytic cleavage. BTC can bind to the EGF receptor (ErbB-1) which then dimerizes with another member of the ErbB receptor family to signal through the tyrosine kinase pathway. BTC is a potent mitogen for Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts, retinal pigment epithelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells and is the only member of the EGF family to stimulate insulin secretion in pancreatic b cells. |
