Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), also known as vasculotropins, are a family of closely related growth factors having a conserved pattern of eight cysteine residues and sharing common VEGF receptors. VEGFs stimulate the proliferation of endothelial cells, induce angiogenesis, promote cell migration, increase vascular permeability, and inhibit apoptosis. The mitogenic activity of VEGFs appears to be mediated by specific VEGF receptors. The target cell specificity of VEGF is restricted to vascular endothelial cells. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C (VEGFC) is a member of the VEGF subfamily of PDGF-related growth factors. It is the ligand for Flt4 (VEGFR3) and KDR (VEGFR2). VEGFC binds Flt4 and induces tyrosine autophosphorylation of VEGFR3 and VEGFR2. VEGFC also stimulates the migration of bovine capillary endothelial cells in collagen gel. It is a specific growth factor for the lymphatic vascular system and mediates lymphangiogenesis. VEGFC is abundantly expressed in heart and skeletal muscle. Other tissues such as lung and kidney also express VEGFC.