Background:

CTGF (connective tissue growth factor) is a cysteine-rich, matrix-associated, heparin-binding protein and a member of the CCN family of secreted cysteine rich regulatory proteins and is the major mitogenic and chemoattractant protein produced by umbilical vein and vascular endothelial cells. CTGF stimulates the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes, induces angiogenesis, promotes cell adhesion of fibroblasts, endothelial, and epithelial cells, and binds to IGF, TGF beta1, and BMP-4. Cell migration and adhesion are signaled through binding to specific cell surface integrins and to heparin sulfate proteoglycans CTGF, a lower molecular weight isoform containing the C-terminal portion of the full length CTGF protein, exerts full heparin binding, cell adhesion, and mitogenic CTGF activity.