肝素结合性表皮生长因子在生殖医学中的研究进展.

Heparin-binding epithelial growth factor (HB-EGF), a member of the EGF family, is synthesized as a membrane-anchored precursor (proHB-EGF). ProHB-EGF is then cleaved to yield a soluble HB-EGF (sHBEGF) by specific metalloproteases. ProHB -EGF is not only the precursor molecule for sHB -EGF but also a biologically active molecule itself. ProHB-EGF forms a complex with membrane proteins, which is localized at the cell contact site, suggesting that proHB-EGF may function in cell-to-cell signaling by a juxtacrine mechanism. In an in vitro model, proHB-EGF showed a growth inhibitory activity while sHB-EGF a growth stimulatory activity, suggesting that proHB-EGF and sHB-EGF work in different ways. However, the in vivo functions of sHB-EGF and proHB-EGF have not been defined. Many recent studies suggested that they play an important role in various physiological processes. This review introduced the potential roles of HB-EGF in reproductive endocrine，including mitosis and apoptosis of the corpus lutein cells，follicular development and embryo transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]