growth factor

noun

: a substance (such as a vitamin B₁₂ or an interleukin) that promotes growth and especially cellular growth

Examples of growth factor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Exercise also increases levels of BDNF, a growth factor that helps maintain the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for forming new and long-term memories, and one that often shrinks in dementia, said Ashwini Nadkarni, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026

This in-office treatment uses your own blood’s growth factors to support the follicle environment and encourage stronger hair growth. —Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2026

Basically, this treatment entails using a sample of your own blood to create a more concentrated version that’s rich in growth factors — then, that version is injected into your scalp to give your hair follicles a boost. —Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026

Marketed as a next-generation treatment at Florida med spas, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor injectables mimic the growth factor found in humans but are manufactured in a lab. —Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for growth factor

• attractor
• cofactor
• compactor
• contactor
• contractor
• distractor
• extractor
• impactor
• protractor
• reactor
• redactor
• refractor

Medical Definition

growth factor

noun

: a substance (as a vitamin B₁₂ or an interleukin) that promotes growth and especially cellular growth