Function
In contrast to VEGF-A, VEGF-B plays a less pronounced role in the vascular system: Whereas VEGF-A is important for the formation of blood vessels, such as during development or in pathological conditions, VEGF-B seems to play a role only in the maintenance of newly formed blood vessels during pathological conditions. VEGF-B plays also an important role on several types of neurons. It is important for the protection of neurons in the retina and the cerebral cortex during stroke and of motoneurons during motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
VEGF-B exerts its effects via the FLT1 receptor.
VEGF-B has also been found to control endothelial uptake and transport of fatty acids in heart and skeletal muscle.
Read more about this topic: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor B
Famous quotes containing the word function:
“Every boy was supposed to come into the world equipped with a father whose prime function was to be our father and show us how to be men. He can escape us, but we can never escape him. Present or absent, dead or alive, real or imagined, our father is the main man in our masculinity.”
—Frank Pittman (20th century)
“It is not the function of our Government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the Government from falling into error.”
—Robert H. [Houghwout] Jackson (1892–1954)
“The fact remains that the human being in early childhood learns to consider one or the other aspect of bodily function as evil, shameful, or unsafe. There is not a culture which does not use a combination of these devils to develop, by way of counterpoint, its own style of faith, pride, certainty, and initiative.”
—Erik H. Erikson (1904–1994)