Alternative Splicing of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor IgIII Loops in Cancer

Figure 2

Tissue interactions mediated by IIIb/IIIc splice variants. Expression of FGFR2 variants is strictly tissue specific with the IIIb form found in the epithelium and the IIIc form in the mesenchyme. Together with expression of splice form-specific ligands in the respective complementary tissue, the splice variants mediate tissue interaction during embryonic development as well as in tissue maintenance and repair. The example FGFR2 with the IIIb-specific ligands FGF7 and 10 and the IIIc-specific ligands FGF4, 8 and 9, is involved in mouse limb development as well as in wound healing and reepithelialization in the skin [32].