Table 2 Summary of the effects of growth factors. Growth factors Function References TGF-β1 Cellular migration and proliferation; cell replication, collagen synthesis production of extracellular matrix reconstruction of basement membrane of damaged myofibres and satellite cells, Scar tissue formation such as in adult wounds Molloy, 2003 Husmann, 1996 Kovacevic, 2011 TGF- β2 Increase of collagen production Scarless wound healing such as in fetal wounds Klein, 2002 Pryce, 2009 TGF- β3 Reduction of scar tissue formation after healing like in fetal wounds more favorable ratio of Collagen 1 to Collagen 3 ratio Kovacevic, 2011 VEGF Angiogenesis, tendon cell proliferation, type 1 collagen synthesis, muscle fibre reconstitution, angiogenesis in muscle Anitua, 2005; Arsic, 2004; Bachl, 2009; Engebretsen, 2010 PDGF Mesenchymal stem cell replication, ostoid production, endothelial cell replication, collagen synthesis, collagen and protein synthesis. Synthesis of other factors (e.g IGF-1) resulting in fibroblast proliferation and differentiation, collagen deposition, and angiogenesis Hsu, 2004 Everts P, 2006 Foster 2009 FGF Stimulator of angiogenesis and regulator of cellular migration and proliferation. Influencing angiogenesis and satellite cell numbers Molloy, 2003; Wright Carpenter, 2004; Bachl N, 2009 IGF-1c (MGF) Autocrine/paracrine, more potent than IGF-1Ea at causing hypertrophy Philippou, 2007 IGF-1a Stimulates terminal differentiation of muscle cells into myotubes and promote stem cell-mediated muscle regeneration Philippou, 2007 EGF Proliferation of fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Synthesis and turn over of proteins of the extracellular matrix, including fibronectin, collagens, laminin, and glycosaminoglycans. Strong chemoattractant for fibroblasts and epithelial cells Borrione, 2010