Spleen‐derived growth factor, SDGF‐3, is identified as keratinocyte growth factor (KGF)

Abstract
A heparin‐binding mitogen rat for rat hepatocytes was partially purified from bovine spleen by a combination of heparin‐affinity, cation‐exchange and gel‐filtration chromatography. Besides stimulating rat hepatocytes, this factor, which was designated spleen‐derived growth factor‐3 (SDGF‐3), exhibited mitogenic activity for mouse epidermal keratinocytes but not mouse fibroblasts. Its apparent epithelial specificity and heparin‐binding properties corresponded to those of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). These findings, together with the fact that the mitogenic activity of SDGF‐3 was abolished by a neutralizing monoclonal antibody specific for KGF, identify this bovine spleen‐derived hepatocyte mitogen as KGF.