VEGF-C，also known as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Related Protein （VRP），is a recently discovered VEGF growth factor family member that is most closely related to VEGF-D. The rat VEGFC cDNA encodes a pre-pro-protein of 416 amino acids residues.
It is almost identical to the mouse VEGF-C protein. Similar to VEGF-D，VEGF-C has a VEGF homology domain spanning the middle third of the precursor molecule and long N- and C-terminal extensions. In adults，VEGF-C is highly expressed in heart，placenta，ovary and small intestine. Recombinant rat VEGF-C，lacking the N- and C-terminal extensions and containing only the middle VEGF homology domain，forms primarily non-covalently linked dimers. This protein is a ligand for both VEGFR-2/KDR and VEGFR-3/FLT -4. Since VEGFR-3 is strongly expressed in lymphatic endothelial cells，it has been postulated that VEGF-C is involved in the regulation of the growth and/or differentiation of lymphatic endothelium. Although recombinant rat VEGF-C is also a mitogen for vascular endothelial cells，it is much less potent than VEGF-A.
