EGFL6, a member of
the EGF-like superfamily, plays an important role during embryonic development
and has been implicated in promotion of tumor angiogenesis without affecting
wound healing. Importantly, expression of EGFL6 in cancer cells and tumor
endothelial cells not only increased tumor angiogenesis but also promoted
migration of cancer cells. Members of
this superfamily are characterized by the presence of EGF-like repeats and are
often involved in the regulation of cell cycle, proliferation, and developmental
processes. EGFL6 gene is expressed early during development, and its expression
has been detected in lung and meningioma tumors.