Wikipedia
Oncomodulin is a parvalbumin-family calcium-binding protein expressed and secreted by macrophages (that typically traffic to tissue as an inflammatory response or after injury).
Oncomodulin is present in the eye (4). It is small, acidic, has a high calcium-binding activity, and consists of 108 amino acid residues (5). It is released by macrophages in the vitreous and the retina to promote nerve regeneration in the eye (4). This regeneration can be done in response to inflammation in the eye and promote regrowth in the eye to repair retinal injury. The regeneration effects of oncomodulin outcompetes other neurotrophic factors like BDNF, CNTF, and GDNF (4). When added to retinal nerve cells in a petri dish with no other growth factors present, oncomodulin has been shown to promote neuron regrowth at 5-7 times the normal rate (3).
Oncomodulin has been found in cytotrophoblasts of human and rat placenta and in the early stages of embryos (5). In vivo, oncomodulin promotes regeneration of the optic nerve in rats (7). It has also been found in different types of human and rodent tumors (5). However, it has never been found in healthy human or rat tissues (5).
To date, it has been found in the central nervous system in inner ear hair cells and retinal ganglion cells. Oncomodulin promotes axon regeneration in retinal ganglion cells and maintains functioning in mouse cochlear hair cells.