“…Among these, some may be considered "HS-dependent", since in vitro manipulations that remove, or prevent the sulfation of, cellular HS result in greatly decreased growth factor binding to, and activation of, signaling receptors. The best characterized HS-dependent growth factors are FGF-1 and FGF-2, but other FGFs, HB-EGF, wingless (a member of the Wnt family) and probably several other growth factors belong to this group (Rapraeger et al, 1991;Yayon et al, 1991;Aviezer and Yayon, 1994;Tessler et al, 1994;Zioncheck et al, 1995;Reichsman et al, 1996). Models that have been put forth to explain HS-dependence include ones in which binding of HS to growth factor, receptor, or both directly alters affinity (e.g., through cross-linking, dimerization, or induction of a conformational change [Kan et al, 1993;Pantoliano et al, 1994;Spivak-Kroizman et al, 1994]).…”