High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! CTGF (connective tissue growth factor) is a cysteine-rich, matrix-associated, heparin-binding protein. In vitro, CTGF mirrors some of the effects of TGF beta on skin fibroblasts, such as stimulation of extracellular matrix production, chemotaxis, proliferation and integrin expression. CTGF can promote endothelial cell growth, migration, adhesion and survival and is thus implicated in endothelial cell function and angiogenesis.