Can the HB-EGF/EGFR pathway restore injured neurons?

Heparin‐binding epidermal growth factor‐like growth factor (HB‐EGF) is a transmembrane protein that, when cleaved by metalloproteases through a process called ectodomain shedding, binds to the EGF receptor (EGFR), activating downstream signaling. The HB‐EGF/EGFR pathway is crucial in development and is involved in numerous pathophysiological processes. In this issue of The FEBS Journal, Sireci et al. reveal a previously unexplored function of the HB‐EGF/EGFR pathway in promoting neuronal progenitor proliferation and sensory neuron regeneration in the zebrafish olfactory epithelium in response to injury.