NGF and myocardial infarction: For example, cardiac-specific over-expression of FGF2 results in enhanced recovery of cardiac contractile function and reduced infarct size after ischemia-reperfusion injury [12], while increased expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) promotes angiogenesis and survival of cardiomyocytes after MI and leads to increased levels of c-kitpos progenitor cells in hearts [13].