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The cytokine Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has been identified to be secreted by the pituitary gland and the monocyte/macrophage and to play an important role in endotoxic shock. MIF has the unique property of being released from macrophages and T cells in response to physiological concentrations of glucocorticoids. The secretion of MIF is tightly regulated and decreases at high, anti-inflammatory steroid concentration.

MIA2 performs as a tumour suppressor in hepatocellular carcinoma. MIA2is a novel acute phase protein which its expression is found in the liver and reacts to liver damage in chronic liver diseases and is considerably higher in severe fibrosis patients . MIA2 is induced by IL6, TGF-B & and conditioned medium from activated hepatic stellate cells. MIA2 is is mainly expressed in hepatocytes.

SDF-1 (stromal cell-derived factor-1) is small cytokine belonging to the chemokine family that is officially designated Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12). It is produced in two forms, SDF-1?/CXCL12a and SDF-1?/CXCL12b, by alternate splicing of the same gene. Chemokines are characterized by the presence of four conserved cysteines, which form two disulfide bonds. The CXCL12 proteins belong to the group of CXC chemokines, whose initial pair of cysteines are separated by one intervening amino acid. CXCL12 is strongly chemotactic for lymphocytes and has been implicated as an important cell co-ordinator during development. During embryogenesis it directs the migration of hematopoietic cells from foetal liver to bone marrow. Mice which were knocked-out for CXCL12 gene were lethal before the birth or within just 1 hour of life. As another role, CXCL12a alters also the electrophysiology of neurons. CXCL12 was shown to be expressend in many tissues in mice (including brain, thymus, heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen and bone marrow).
The receptor for this chemokine is CXCR4, which was previously called fusin. This CXCL12-CXCR4 interaction used to be considered exclusive (unlike for other chemokines and their receptors), but recently it was suggested that CXCL12 is also bound by CXCR7 receptor.
The gene for CXCL12 is located on human chromosome 10. In human and mouse both CXCL12 and CXCR4 show high identity of sequence: 99% and 90%, respectively.

This gene is a member of the EPO/TPO family and encodes a secreted, glycosylated cytokine composed of four alpha helical bundles. The protein is found in the plasma and regulates red cell production by promoting erythroid differentiation and initiating hemoglobin synthesis. This protein also has neuroprotective activity against a variety of potential brain injuries and antiapoptotic functions in several tissue types.

GM-CSF Receptor Alpha (CSF2RA) is the alpha subunit of the heterodimeric receptor for colony stimulating factor 2, a cytokine which controls the production, differentiation, and function of granulocytes and macrophages. CSFR2 is also a member of the cytokine family of receptors. In addition, this gene is found in the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) of the X and Y chromosomes. Multiple transcript variants encoding various isoforms have been found for this gene, while some of the isoforms being membrane-bound and others being soluble. Diseases associated with CSF2RA include surfactant metabolism dysfunction, pulmonary 4, and csf2ra-related pulmonary surfactant metabolism dysfunction.

Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) comprise a family of at least 18 structurally related proteins that are involved in a multitude of physiological and pathological cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, angiogenesis, wound healing and tumorigenesis. The biological activities of the FGFs are mediated by a family of type I transmembrane tyrosine kinases which undergo dimerization and autophosphorylation after ligand binding. Multiple forms of FGFR-1 to -3 are generated by alternative splicing of the mRNAs. A frequent splicing event involving FGFR-1 and -2 results in receptors containing all three Ig domains, referred to as the alpha isoform, or only IgII and IgIII, referred to as the ? isoform. Only the alpha isoform has been identified for FGFR-3 and FGFR-4. Additional splicing events for FGFR-1 to -3, involving the C-terminal half of the IgIII domain encoded by two mutually exclusive alternative exons, generate FGF receptors with alternative IgIII domains (IIIb and IIIc). An IIIa isoform which is a secreted FGF binding protein containing only the N-terminal half of the IgIII domain plus some intron sequences has also been reported for FGFR-1. Mutations in FGFR-1 to -3 have been found in patients with birth defects involving craniosynostosis.

Galectin-3 mediates with the alpha-3, beta-1 integrin the stimulation by cspg4 of endothelial cells migration. Galectin-3 plays an necessary part during the acquisition of vasculogenic mimicry and angiogenic properties associated with melanoma progression. LGALS3 overexpression is highly expressed in early stages of papillary carcinoma, and its expression intensity declines during tumor progression. Serum levels of LGALS3 are high in patients with thyroid malignancy but there is considerable overlap in serum LGALS3 concentrations between those with benign and malignant nodular thyroid disease. LGLAS3 takes part as an immune regulator to inhibit T-cell immune responses and promote tumor growth, as a result providing a new mechanism for tumor immune tolerance.

Osteoprotegerin, which is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily and is involved in the regulation of bone metabolism. OPGand its ligand (OPGL) are cytokines regulating osteoclasto-genesis. OPGL binds to receptors on the surface of preosteoclasts and stimulates their differentiation into active osteoclasts. This leads to osteoresorption. OPG inhibits this osteoclasto-genesis (OPG is secreted by osteoblasts, and binds to OPGL, thus inhibiting maturation of osteoclasts and osteoresorption). The degree and activity of osteoresorption depend mainly on the balance between OPG and its ligand (OPGL); factors increasing OPGL expression mostly reduce OPG expression and vice versa.

Growth hormone receptor, also known as GHR is part of the cytokine receptor family. GHR binds 2 receptor molecules and in this manner induces signal transduction through receptor dimerization. Furthermore, at high concentrations, growth hormone performs as an antagonist since there is a large difference in affinities at the respective binding sites. The antagonist action can be enhanced further by reducing binding in the low affinity binding site.

GH is a member of the somatotropin/prolactin family of hormones which play an important role in growth control. The gene, along with four other related genes, is located at the growth hormone locus on chromosome 17 where they are interspersed in the same transcriptional orientation; an arrangement which is thought to have evolved by a series of gene duplications. The five genes share a remarkably high degree of sequence identity. Alternative splicing generates additional isoforms of each of the five growth hormones, leading to further diversity and potential for specialization. This particular family member is expressed in the pituitary but not in placental tissue as is the case for the other four genes in the growth hormone locus. Mutations in or deletions of the gene lead to growth hormone deficiency and short stature.

All three VEGF receptors belong to the class III subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) characterised by the seven immunoglobulin-like loops in the extracellular domain. The expression of VEGFR-1 to -3 is almost exclusively restricted to hematopoietic precursor cells, vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells and to the monocyte/macrophage lineage. They play key roles in vasculogenesis, hematopoiesis, angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. The FLT-4 cDNA encodes a 1298 amino acid (aa) residue precursor protein with a 23 aa residue signal peptide. Mature VEGFR-3/FLT-4 is composed of a 751 aa residue extracellular domain, a 22 aa transmembrane domain and a 482 aa residue cytoplasmic domain. Both VEGF family members VEGF-C and VEGF-D have been shown to bind and activate VEGFR-3/FLT-4. The Flt-4 gene is widely expressed in the early embryo but becomes restricted to the lymphatic endothelial a latter stages of development. It is important for lymphangiogenesis.

Periostin is a disulfide linked 90 kDa, 811 amino acid protein originally isolated as a osteoblast-specific factor that functions as a cell adhesion molecule for preosteoblasts and is thought to be involved in osteoblast recruitment, attachment and spreading. Additionally, periostin expression has previously been shown to be significantly increased by both transforming growth factor beta-1(TGFbeta1) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2). OSF-2 has a typical signal sequence, followed by a cysteine-rich domain, a fourfold repeated domain and a C-terminal domain. The fourfold repeated domain of OSF-2 shows homology with the insect protein fasciclin
Periostin mRNA is expressed in the developing mouse embryonic and fetal heart, and that it is localized to the endocardial cushions that ultimately divide the primitive heart tube into a four-chambered heart.

SDF-1 (stromal cell-derived factor-1) is small cytokine belonging to the chemokine family that is officially designated Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12). It is produced in two forms, SDF-1a/CXCL12a and SDF-1b/CXCL12b, by alternate splicing of the same gene. Chemokines are characterized by the presence of four conserved cysteines, which form two disulfide bonds. The CXCL12 proteins belong to the group of CXC chemokines, whose initial pair of cysteines are separated by one intervening amino acid. CXCL12 is strongly chemotactic for lymphocytes and has been implicated as an important cell co-ordinator during development. During embryogenesis it directs the migration of hematopoietic cells from foetal liver to bone marrow. Mice which were knocked-out for CXCL12 gene were lethal before the birth or within just 1 hour of life. As another role, CXCL12a alters also the electrophysiology of neurons. CXCL12 was shown to be expressend in many tissues in mice (including brain, thymus, heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen and bone marrow).
The receptor for this chemokine is CXCR4, which was previously called fusin. This CXCL12-CXCR4 interaction used to be considered exclusive (unlike for other chemokines and their receptors), but recently it was suggested that CXCL12 is also bound by CXCR7 receptor.
The gene for CXCL12 is located on human chromosome 10. In human and mouse both CXCL12 and CXCR4 show high identity of sequence: 99% and 90%, respectively.

Prolactin is a neuroendocrine hormone synthesized primarily by the pituitary gland but also a variety of other cell types including the placenta, brain and uterus. Its primary function is to promote and maintain lactation but has also been shown to have a role in breast cancer development, regulation of reproductive function and immunoregulation.

GH is a member of the somatotropin/prolactin family of hormones which play an important role in growth control. The gene, along with four other related genes, is located at the growth hormone locus on chromosome 17 where they are interspersed in the same transcriptional orientation; an arrangement which is thought to have evolved by a series of gene duplications. The five genes share a remarkably high degree of sequence identity. Alternative splicing generates additional isoforms of each of the five growth hormones, leading to further diversity and potential for specialization. This particular family member is expressed in the pituitary but not in placental tissue as is the case for the other four genes in the growth hormone locus. Mutations in or deletions of the gene lead to growth hormone deficiency and short stature.

GH is a member of the somatotropin/prolactin family of hormones which play an important role in growth control. The gene, along with four other related genes, is located at the growth hormone locus on chromosome 17 where they are interspersed in the same transcriptional orientation; an arrangement which is thought to have evolved by a series of gene duplications. The five genes share a remarkably high degree of sequence identity. Alternative splicing generates additional isoforms of each of the five growth hormones, leading to further diversity and potential for specialization. This particular family member is expressed in the pituitary but not in placental tissue as is the case for the other four genes in the growth hormone locus. Mutations in or deletions of the gene lead to growth hormone deficiency and short stature.

Thrombopoietin is a glycoprotein hormone produced mainly by the liver and the kidney which regulates the production of platelets by the bone marrow. TPO stimulates the production as well as differentiation of megakaryocytes, the bone marrow cells which fragment into large numbers of platelets.

NT3 a member of the neurotrophin family, that controls survival and differentiation of mammalian neurons. This protein is closely related to both nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. It may be involved in the maintenance of the adult nervous system, and may affect development of neurons in the embryo when it is expressed in human placenta. NTF3-deficient mice generated by gene targeting display severe movement defects of the limbs. The mature peptide of this protein is identical in all mammals examined including human, pig, rat and mouse.

IGFBP6 plays a role in lipoprotein assembly and dietary cholesterol absorption. in addition to its acyltransferase activity, it may act as a ligase. may provide cholesteryl esters for lipoprotein secretion from hepatocytes and intestinal mucosa.

GH is a member of the somatotropin/prolactin family of hormones which play an important role in growth control. The gene, along with four other related genes, is located at the growth hormone locus on chromosome 17 where they are interspersed in the same transcriptional orientation; an arrangement which is thought to have evolved by a series of gene duplications. The five genes share a remarkably high degree of sequence identity. Alternative splicing generates additional isoforms of each of the five growth hormones, leading to further diversity and potential for specialization. This particular family member is expressed in the pituitary but not in placental tissue as is the case for the other four genes in the growth hormone locus. Mutations in or deletions of the gene lead to growth hormone deficiency and short stature.

The MCFD2-LMAN1 complex forms an explicit cargo receptor for the ER-to-Golgi transport of selected proteins. MCFD2 is involved in the secretion of coagulation factors. MCFD2 is expressed by neural stem/progenitor cells of the hippocampus, and localized to region where neurogenesis persists throughout life. MCFD2 prevents NSC cell death and maintains stem cell characteristics. MCFD2 forms a complex with LAMN1 that facilitates the transport of coagulation factors V and VIII from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus through an endoplasmic reticulum Golgi intermediate compartment. Mutations in the MCFD2 cause Factor V and Factor VIII combined deficiency.

The cytokine Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has been identified to be secreted by the pituitary gland and the monocyte/macrophage and to play an important role in endotoxic shock. MIF has the unique property of being released from macrophages and T cells in response to physiological concentrations of glucocorticoids. The secretion of MIF is tightly regulated and decreases at high, anti-inflammatory steroid concentration.

Transforming growth factor betas (TGFBetas) mediate many cell-cell interactions that occur during embryonic development. Three TGFBetas have been identified in mammals. TGFBeta1, TGFBeta2 and TGFBeta3 are each synthesized as precursor proteins that are very similar in that each is cleaved to yield a 112 amino acid polypeptide that remains associated with the latent portion of the molecule. This antibody reacts with the precursor and mature form of TGFBeta2 and to a lesser extent TGFBeta3, but does not cross react with TGFBeta1.