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Vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegf) refers to a family of related proteins that are expressed and secreted from a variety of cell types. They function by binding their receptor tyrosine kinases that are expressed almost exclusively on endothelial cells. For the most part, binding of Vegf to its receptor elicits autophosphorylation of its receptor and activation of a number of downstream molecules, including phospholipase C gamma-1 (Plcg1). Vegf can induce a number of effects on endothelial cells including migration, proliferation, and survival.