title: Analysis of the role of hormones and growth factors in growth control and tissue differentiation using transplanted mammalian embryos and fetal structures.
abstract: Results obtained from our analyses of the role of hormones and growth factors in rat embryonic and fetal development are reviewed. Whole 10-day embryos or structures from 14-16-day fetuses (paws, intestines, reproductive tracts) were transplanted under the kidney capsule of syngeneic host rats of different age, sex, physiological state or level of nutrition. In intact hosts, fetal transplants grew almost as much as they would have if left in situ in the fetuses, and tissue differentiation in them was essentially normal. By contrast, growth of embryo transplants was severely depressed relative to their growth in utero, but tissue differentiation was only slightly retarded. Fetal paws grew equally well in female hosts widely diverging in age and growth rate. Thus, in such hosts growth of the fetal paw was highly independent of the growth rate of the hosts. In hosts in which growth was arrested or reduced by diabetes, hypophysectomy or food restriction, growth of paw transplants was impaired, but not as severely as that of the hosts themselves. Fetal skeletal structures were relatively independent of thyroid hormones (TH) for growth; TH dependence developed progressively postnatally. In pregnant hosts, fetal paw transplants grew as well during the first half of gestation as they did in virgin females. By contrast, during the second half of pregnancy and during both halves of the lactational period, growth of the transplants was significantly reduced. Host skeletal growth was also inhibited during late pregnancy and throughout lactation. The impaired growth during the second half of gestation was associated with a large reduction in serum IGF-I concentration and a resistance to the growth-promoting actions of GH. In the lactating hosts, serum IGF-I concentration returned almost to prepregnancy levels and the resistance to GH persisted, but at a reduced level. The direct effects of hormones, growth factors, and antibodies to them on growth and tissue differentiation in the transplants were assessed using infusion methods. Substances were infused into the renal artery of transplant-bearing kidneys via catheters attached to osmotic minipumps. The direct effects of insulin, GH, IGFs, basic FGF and EGF on transplant growth and tissue differentiation were evaluated. Insulin directly stimulated growth of transplants in diabetic hosts but GH did not have a direct effect in hypophysectomized rats. The growth-restorative effects of GH observed in hypophysectomized hosts were apparently mediated indirectly via IGF-I. Infused rat IGF-II (MSA) was more effective at stimulating growth of embryo transplants than was recombinant human IGF-I.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Nicoll
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alarid
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006133:Growth Substances; D006728:Hormones