What is "epidermal growth factor"

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a growth factor that stimulates cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation by binding to its receptor EGFR. Human EGF is a 6045- Da protein with 53 amino acid residues and three intramolecular disulfide bonds.

EGF was originally described independently as a secreted peptide found in the submaxillary glands of mice and in human urine. Initially, human EGF was known as urogastrone.