mesoderm-inducing factor

mesoderm-inducing factor

Any of a group of proteins capable of changing the usual fate of an embryonal tissue from its programmed epithelial end-stage to a mesodermal (e.g., muscle) end-stage. MIFs are divided into the fibroblast growth factor family and the transforming growth factor B family, which includes XTC-MIF (produced by Xenopus XTC cells) and activin A, a Xenopus analogue.