EPF is a family of plant epidermal cell growth factors. It is a signalling peptide that determines the spacing and separation of the development of stomatal cells in the upper epidermis of plant leaf cells [1,2,3,4,5].

1: The signaling peptide EPF2 controls asymmetric cell divisions during stomatal development. Hunt L, Gray JE; Curr Biol. 2009;19:864-869. PMID:19398336

2: Epidermal cell density is autoregulated via a secretory peptide, EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR 2 in Arabidopsis leaves. Hara K, Yokoo T, Kajita R, Onishi T, Yahata S, Peterson KM, Torii KU, Kakimoto T; Plant Cell Physiol. 2009;50:1019-1031. PMID:19435754

3: The NMR structure of stomagen reveals the basis of stomatal density regulation by plant peptide hormones. Ohki S, Takeuchi M, Mori M; Nat Commun. 2011;2:512. PMID:22027592

4: Direct interaction of ligand-receptor pairs specifying stomatal patterning. Lee JS, Kuroha T, Hnilova M, Khatayevich D, Kanaoka MM, McAbee JM, Sarikaya M, Tamerler C, Torii KU; Genes Dev. 2012;26:126-136. PMID:22241782

5: Carbonic anhydrases, EPF2 and a novel protease mediate CO2 control of stomatal development. Engineer CB, Ghassemian M, Anderson JC, Peck SC, Hu H, Schroeder JI; Nature. 2014;513:246-250. PMID:25043023