Role of epidermal growth factor in obstetrics and gynecology.

During the past 30 years, a number of growth factors have been isolated and characterized. These include insulin and insulin-like growth factors, the fibroblast growth factors, the hematopoietic colony-stimulating growth factors, and the epidermal growth factor (EGF) group. Epidermal growth factor, which stimulates the growth of a variety of tissues, has been extensively studied since its discovery in the early 1960s. This review presents an historic perspective, basic scientific aspects, laboratory methods, and the clinical application of EGF in the specialty of obstetrics and gynecology. Expanding research on this factor together with its increasing clinical applications will undoubtedly predict its routine use in clinical practice. Understanding basic and applied knowledge of EGF will become essential for clinicians in adapting this new technology to patient care.