A 17-kDa single-chain polypeptide growth factor that plays a significant role in the process of wound healing and is a potent inducer of physiologic angiogenesis. It binds to heparin, which potentiates its biological activity and protects it from proteolysis. The growth factor is an extremely potent inducer of DNA synthesis in a variety of cell types from mesoderm and neuroectoderm lineages, and also has chemotactic and mitogenic activities. It was originally named acidic fibroblast growth factor based upon its chemical properties and to distinguish it from basic fibroblast growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 2).