Growth factor that plays an essential role in the regulation of embryonic development, cell proliferation, cell migration, survival and chemotaxis. Potent mitogen and chemoattractant for cells of mesenchymal origin. Required for normal skeleton formation during embryonic development, especially for normal development of the craniofacial skeleton and for normal development of the palate. Required for normal skin morphogenesis during embryonic development. Plays an important role in wound healing, where it appears to be involved in three stages: inflammation, proliferation and remodeling. Plays an important role in angiogenesis and blood vessel development. Involved in fibrotic processes, in which transformation of interstitial fibroblasts into myofibroblasts plus collagen deposition occurs. The CUB domain has mitogenic activity in coronary artery smooth muscle cells, suggesting a role beyond the maintenance of the latency of the PDGF domain. In the nucleus, PDGFC seems to have additional function. Homodimer; disulfide-linked. Interacts with PDGFRA homodimers, and with heterodimers formed by PDGFRA and PDGFRB. Interacts (via CUB domain) with PLAT (via kringle domain). Sumoylated form is predominant in the nucleus (PubMed:15247255). Stored in alpha granules in platelets (PubMed:15061151). Expressed in the fallopian tube, vascular smooth muscle cells in kidney, breast and colon and in visceral smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract. Highly expressed in retinal pigment epithelia. Expressed in medulloblastoma. In the kidney, constitutively expressed in parietal epithelial cells of Bowman's capsule, tubular epithelial cells and in arterial endothelial cells (at protein level). Highly expressed in the platelets, prostate, testis and uterus. Higher expression is observed in uterine leiomyomata. Weaker expression in the spleen, thymus, heart, pancreas, liver, ovary cells and small intestine, and negligible expression in the colon and peripheral blood leukocytes. In the fetal kidney, detected in the developing mesangium, ureteric bud epithelium and the undifferentiated mesenchyme (at protein level). Up-regulated by EWS-FLI1 chimeric transcription factor in tumor derived cells. Up-regulated in podocytes and interstitial cells after injury/activation of these cells. FGF2 activates PDGFC transcription via EGR1. Up-regulated by TGFB1 in concert with FGF2. Proteolytic removal of the N-terminal CUB domain releasing the core domain is necessary for unmasking the receptor-binding epitopes of the core domain. Cleavage after basic residues in the hinge region (region connecting the CUB and growth factor domains) gives rise to the receptor-binding form. Cleaved by PLAT and PLG. Sumoylated with SUMO1. N-glycosylated. A lower molecular weight form (around 43 kDa) is present in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma. Belongs to the PDGF/VEGF growth factor family.