Medical Definition of Leukaemia inhibitory factor
1.
Polypeptide growth factor or cytokine with wide range of activities. Regulates growth and differentiation of primordial germ cells and embryonic stem cells but has effects on peripheral neurons, osteoblasts, adipocytes and various cells of the myeloid lineage. Given to adult animals induces weight loss, behavioural disorders and bone abnormalities. Many of the effects of LIF in vitro can be mimicked by IL-6, oncostatin M and ciliary neurotrophic factor, all of which interact indirectly with gp130, a shared tranducer subunit.
This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology
(11 Mar 2008)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Leukaemia Inhibitory Factor
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