The present invention provides a method of inhibiting angiogenesis within a tissue
by providing exogenous PEDF to cells associated with the tissue. The presence of
exogenous PEDF inhibits angiogenesis within the tissue, in part by interfering
with the ability of vascular endothelia to expand within the tissue. The invention
also provides a method for determining the severity of a tumor by assaying for
the presence of PEDF within the tumor. The invention further provides a method
of inhibiting endothelial cell migration, a method of stimulating the growth of
hair in a mammal, a method for inhibiting the growth of a tumor, a method of inducing
differentiation of a neuroblastoma cell, a method of slowing the growth of a neuroblastoma
cell, and method of treating ischemic retinopathy in a mammal. To facilitate the
inventive methods, the present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions including
sources of PEDF.
