Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a growth factor and an essential cytokine which belongs to the IL-6 superfamily. Granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factors are cytokines that act in hematopoiesis by controlling the production, differentiation, and function of 2 related white cell populations of the blood, the granulocytes and the monocytes-macrophages. G-CSF binding to its receptor G-CSF-R which belongs to the cytokine receptor type I family depends on the interaction of alpha-helical motifs of the former and two fibronectin type III as well as an immunoglobulin-like domain of the latter. G-CSF is a cytokine that have been demonstrated to improve cardiac function and perfusion in myocardial infarction. And it was initially evaluated as a stem cell mobilizer and erythropoietin as a cytoprotective agent.
