Final answer:
The hormone that stimulates cells to reproduce and heal is called epidermal growth factor (EGF). EGF binds to the EGFR, initiating a series of events that cause cell growth and division, important for healing and tissue repair.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hormone that stimulates cells to reproduce and heal is epidermal growth factor (EGF). When EGF binds to its receptor, EGFR, a receptor tyrosine kinase, a cascade of downstream events are triggered which cause the cell to grow and divide. These processes are crucial for the regulation of cell growth, wound healing, and tissue repair. EGF is instrumental in the cell division process and acts as a growth-promoting protein. If the EGFR is activated at inappropriate times, it could lead to uncontrolled cell growth.
While epidermal growth factor is involved in cell proliferation and healing, other options like dermal stimulant factor (DSF), integumentary regulatory factor (IRF), and integumentary manufacturing factor (IMF) are not well-known factors or are nonexistent in the context provided here, hence, they are not the correct answer.