Fibroblast growth factors （Fgfs）, proteins of 150~300 amino acids, play diverse roles in development, repair and metabolism. The human/mouse Fgf family comprises twenty-two members. Most Fgfs mediate biological responses by binding to and activating Fgf receptors （Fgfrs） in a paracrine manner. Among paracrine Fgfs, Fgf16 is predominantly expressed in the heart. Fgf16 expression is weakly detected in the embryonic heart and much more abundant at adult stages than embryonic stages. These findings indicate potential roles in the heart.