The present invention relates to a novel truncated form of heptocyte
growth factor (HGF) which specifically antagonizes the activity of HGF
and to a novel truncated form of HGF that is a partial HGF agonist. In
particular, the present invention relates to the purification, molecular
cloning, recombinant expression of the truncated HGF variants and related
pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention further relates to the
utilization of the small HGF variants to either inhibit HGF mitogenesis
or stimulate HGF mitogenesis in cells expressing the receptor for HGF.