growth factors were first described in the 1960 's when substances such as blood fluids ( e.g. , fetal calf serum ) and tissue extracts were added to cells in tissue culture . they usually involve in cell stimulation and proliferation , differentiation or migration , for example , nerve growth factor , which caused growth of neurons in chick embryos . the study of growth factors is still largely a tissue culture - based ( in vitro ) science . since the growth factors occur in such small amounts , it was difficult to isolate and identify them , until sophisticated biochemical methods were developed . a study done , wherein it was found that protein extracts from bone implanted into the animals at nonbone sites induced the formation of new cartilage and bone tissue . this protein extract contained multiple factors that stimulated bone formation and was termed as  bmp . there are at least 15 different bmps identified to date and are a part of the transforming growth factor- superfamily . the most widely studied bmps are bmp-2 , bmp-3 ( osteogenin ) , bmp-4 , and bmp-7 ( osteogenic protein-1 ) . now , any recombination type of morphogenic proteins has been synthesized , for example - recombinant human bmps ( rh - bmp ) . the bmps show sequence homologies with transforming growth factor-. it is found that bmps are related to regulatory genes . the other factors that have homologies with bmps are activins , inhibins , and mullerian inhibiting substances involved in follicle stimulating hormone release and ductal development . originally , seven such proteins were discovered . of these , six ( bmp2 through bmp7 ) belong to the transforming growth factor beta superfamily of proteins . since then , thirteen more bmps have been discovered , bringing the total to twenty . stimulate bone and cartilage formation ( bmp-2)initiate endochondral bone formation ( bmp-3 , bmp-7)the high level of bmps probably indicates an endocrine - like actionrole in development of the central nervous system ( bmp-3)bmp-2 and bmp-4 in rna transcripts are found to have a role in developing tooth buds , odontoblast layer , and other craniofacial structuresbmps are found to help growth of hematopoietic cells and epithelial differentiationit is involved in extracellular matrix during repair and regenerationit is also found to stimulate angiogenesis by extracellular matrix interactionsbinds to type iv collagen . stimulate bone and cartilage formation ( bmp-2 ) initiate endochondral bone formation ( bmp-3 , bmp-7 ) the high level of bmps probably indicates an endocrine - like action role in development of the central nervous system ( bmp-3 ) bmp-2 and bmp-4 in rna transcripts are found to have a role in developing tooth buds , odontoblast layer , and other craniofacial structures bmps are found to help growth of hematopoietic cells and epithelial differentiation it is involved in extracellular matrix during repair and regeneration it is also found to stimulate angiogenesis by extracellular matrix interactions binds to type iv collagen . bmp represents a set of unique factor that induces new bone formation at the site of implantation instead of changing the growth rate of preexisting bone . rh - bmp-2 , for example , has shown to induce ectopic bone formation in an in vivo setting . cell culture studies indicate that rh bmp-2 can cause mesenchymal precursor cells to differentiate into cartilage and bone forming cells . additional animal studies have shown that rh - bmp-2 is capable of replacing large defects about 2.5 mm deep in canine mandibles healing a variety of long bone defects in orthopedic models and concluded that these bmps can be used for a variety of periodontal conditions .
bone morphogenetic proteins ( bmps ) are a group of growth factors also known as cytokines and as metabologens . 
 originally discovered by their ability to induce the formation of bone and cartilage , bmps are now considered to constitute a group of pivotal morphogenetic signals , orchestrating tissue architecture throughout the body . 
 the important functioning of bmp signals in physiology is emphasized by the multitude of roles for dysregulated bmp signaling in pathological processes . 
 a study done wherein it was found that protein extracts from bone implanted into the animals at nonbone sites induced the formation of new cartilage and bone tissue . 
 this protein extract contained multiple factors that stimulated bone formation and was termed as  bmp . 
 there are at least 15 different bmps identified to date and are a part of the transforming growth factor- super family . 
 the most widely studied bmps are bmp-2 , bmp-3 ( osteogenin ) , bmp-4 , and bmp-7 ( osteogenic protein-1 ) . 
 now , any recombination type of morphogenic proteins have been synthesized , for example - recombinant human bmps .