Transmembrane and Soluble Isoforms of Heparin-Binding Epidermal Growth Factor-Like Growth Factor Regulate Distinct Processes in the Pancreas

This work demonstrates that islet function depends on the ratio of cleaved to uncleaved HB-EGF and that the transmembrane intermediate, while deleterious to islet function, is necessary to restrict action of soluble HB-EGF away from surrounding tissue.