Mouse HGF protein (active)

This gene encodes a protein that binds to the hepatocyte growth factor receptor to regulate cell growth, cell motility and morphogenesis in numerous cell and tissue types. The encoded preproprotein is proteolytically processed to generate multiple protein products, including the hepatocyte growth factor alpha and beta chains, which heterodimerize to form the mature active protein. Although this protein is a member of the peptidase S1 family of serine proteases, it lacks peptidase activity. Homozygous knockout mice for this gene exhibit embryonic lethality due to impaired development of the placenta and liver. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Sep 215]