Human KGF-1 also known as Fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF-7), is encoded by the FGF7 gene. KGF-1 only binds to the b splice form of the tyrosine kinase receptor, FGFR2b/KGFR. Affinity between KGF-1 and its receptor can be increased by heparin or heparin sulfate proteoglycan. FGF-10, also called keratinocyte growth factor 2 (KGF-2), shares 51 % amino acid sequence identity and similar function to KGF-1, but uses an additional receptor, FGFR2c. KGF-1 plays an important role in the regulation of embryonic development, cell proliferation and cell differentiation. KGF-1 actives on keratinocytes, and exhibits mitogenic activity for epidermal cells, but essentially no activity for fibroblasts. KGF-1 has species crossactive, human KGF-1 shares 96 % and 92 % amino acid sequence identity with murine and rat FGF-7, respectively.