Of these, connective
tissue growth factor a (ctgfa) was expressed in glial cells during a key period of healing, as the cells were actively building bridges across damaged tissue.
The team's findings paint a clear picture: in alert mode, the stem cells emit signaling substances, which in turn induce tissue cells to release the connective
tissue growth factor (CTGF) messenger.
One of these, called CTGF or connective
tissue growth factor, was intriguing because its levels rose in the supporting cells, or glia, that formed the bridge in the first two weeks following injury.