Description
PlGF, a member of the VEGF family, was originally discovered in the placenta, where it was proposed to regulate vascular development and trophoblast growth and differentiation. PlGF stimulates endothelial cell growth, migration, and survival and plays a central role in pathologic angiogenesis, including in cancer and tissue ischemia. PlGF concentrations increase throughout pregnancy, peaking during the third trimester, and falling thereafter, probably as a consequence of placental maturation. Despite interest in the utility of PlGF for clinical diagnostics, the role of PlGF in preeclampsia and in placental development is not well understood. PlGF is secreted as a homodimer and may also form a heterodimer with VEGF. There are four alternatively spliced PlGF isoforms (PlGF-1, PlGF-2, PlGF-3, and PlGF-4), each with unique secretion patterns and heparin-binding affinities. PlGF-3 lacks a heparin-binding domain and signals through the VEGFR-1 receptor