Colony-stimulating factor

Colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) are secreted glycoproteins that bind to receptor proteins on the surfaces of committed progenitors^[1] in the bone marrow, thereby activating intracellular signaling pathways that can cause the cells to proliferate and differentiate into a specific kind of blood cell (usually white blood cells. For red blood cell formation, see erythropoietin).

They may be synthesized and administered exogenously. However, such molecules can at a latter stage be detected, since they differ slightly from the endogenous ones in, e.g., features of post-translational modification.

^ Kumar, Vinay; Abbas, Abul K.; Aster, Jon C.; Turner, Jerrold R.; Perkins, James A.; Robbins, Stanley L.; Cotran, Ramzi S., eds. (2021). Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease (10th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier. p. 584. ISBN 978-0-323-53113-9.

[1] Kumar, Vinay; Abbas, Abul K.; Aster, Jon C.; Turner, Jerrold R.; Perkins, James A.; Robbins, Stanley L.; Cotran, Ramzi S., eds. (2021). Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease (10th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier. p. 584. ISBN 978-0-323-53113-9.

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