Description
Fibroblast Growth Factor 8e (FGF-8e) is a cytokine belonging to the heparin-binding FGF family, which has at least 23 members. FGF-8 has 8 different isoforms, named FGF-8a through FGF-8h. Different FGF-8 isoforms have different receptor affinities, and thus participate in different signaling cascade pathways. FGF-8 has widespread expression during embryonic development, promoting gastrulation, somitogenesis, morphogenesis, and limb formation. FGF-8 also has oncogenic potential. While in normal cells FGF-8 is expressed at very low levels, in breast, prostate and ovarian cancer FGF-8 is highly expressed.FGF-8 promotes tumor angiogenesis by increasing neovascularization, and inducing osteoblastic differentiation.