VEGF-B, a member of the VEGF family, is a potent growth and angiogenic cytokine. It promotes DNA synthesis in endothelial cells, helps regulate angiogenesis and vascular permeability, and inhibits apoptosis in certain smooth muscle cells and neurons. VEGF-B is expressed in all tissues except the liver. It forms cell surfaced-associated disulfide linked homodimers and can form heterodimers with VEGF-A. There are two known isoforms, formed by alternative splicing, which have been designated VEGF-B167 and VEGF-B186. Both forms have identical amino-terminal sequences encoding a ``cysteine knot'' like structural motif, but differ in their carboxyl-terminal domains. Both VEGF-B isoforms signal only through the VEGFR1 receptor. Recombinant human VEGF-B is a 38.0 kDa disulfide-linked homodimeric protein consisting of two 167 amino acid polypeptide chains.