Growth Factors and Receptors: A Practical Approach provides comprehensive protocols for studies of growth factors and their interactions with receptors. It covers a wide range from simple analytical techniques to sophisticated in vivo applications including: RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry for detection of growth factors and receptors; production and purification of recombinant growth factors and receptors; labelling of growth factors for binding studies; in vivo mutagenesis; the yeast two-hybrid assay of protein-protein interactions; phage display of factors; application of factors to wound-healing processes using the gene gun; treatment of cancers with factor/toxin chimeras; and analysis of important factor domains using chimeric proteins. This book updates and extends the current literature and describes important novel approaches to the study of growth factors and their receptors, including the use of RNA aptamers as receptor antagonists, and the development of receptor superantagonists. It will be of tremendous value to researchers and teachers and, with an appendix that lists a large number of growth factors and receptors, will serve as a handy reference text.