Specificity
This antibody recognises human Epidermal Growth Factor, a potent stimulator and regulator of the proliferation of epidermal and epithelial cells, expressed by a variety of cells.The effects of EGF are initiated through tyrosine kinase activity, following the binding of EGF to the extracellular domain of the ~170 kDa EGF receptor (EGFR), which also binds other EGF-like ligands with high affinity, including TGF-a (transforming growth factor alpha), VGF (vaccinia virus growth factor) and Betacellulin, expressed in the pancreas, small intestine and by certain tumour cells. Receptor activation through EGF binding triggers several signal transduction pathways, including the JAK/STAT and P13K/AKT pathways.