Potential mechanisms regulating the extracellular activities of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2).

Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) is nearly ubiquitous in its distribution, leading numerous investigators to propose that there must exist highly specific mechanisms to regulate its bioavailability. Moreover, in each of the tissues where it can be localized, numerous cells are its potential target. The identification of these mechanisms could serve as an important step in developing novel strategies to inhibit FGF action. It could be possible to block such FGF-dependent activities as angiogenesis, tumor growth, reproduction, and selected diseases of cell proliferation. Over the course of the past several years, we have attempted to describe some of the processes that might regulate a target cell's ability to activate FGF-2 in its local milieu.