Description
Fibroblast Growth Factor 18 (FGF-18) is a pleiotropic cytokine belonging to the heparin-binding FGF family, which has 23 different members. Structurally, FGF-18 is closely related to FGF-8 and FGF-17. Like other FGFs, FGF-18 can bind to different FGF receptors in vivo. FGF-18 is expressed in various tissues and has multiple functions: during long bone growth, FGF-18 is expressed in perichondrium and developing joints, and regulates bone formation by inhibiting chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation; FGF-18 knock-out mice survive embryonic development, but exhibit skeletal abnormalities and die in the early neonatal period. FGF-18 also induces ectopic cartilage formation in the lung, and alters the morphology of the pulmonary mesenchyma.