growth factor

American

noun

any of various proteins that promote the growth, organization, and maintenance of cells and tissues.

growth factor British

noun

any of several substances present in serum that induce growth of cells. Excessive amounts of growth factor may be associated with the production of cancer cells

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

To transmit pain signals, nerve growth factor binds to a receptor called tropomyosin receptor kinase A, or TrkA.

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2024

NRP1 was also expressed in the same cells at the nerve growth factor receptor TrkA.

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2024

"Our findings suggest that neuropilin-1 is required for nerve growth factor to signal pain, even if it is indirectly regulating it," said Bunnett.

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2024

The researchers concluded that NRP1 is a co-receptor for nerve growth factor, as -- unlike TrkA -- NRP1 is not known to signal on its own.

From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2024

The latter may or may not have a sufficiently high growth factor.

From The Colonists by Jones, Raymond F.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023