title: Basic fibroblast growth factor enhances the capacity of bone marrow cells to form bone-like nodules in vitro.
abstract: The role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the proliferation and differentiation of rat bone marrow cells in culture was studied. bFGF stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation into these cells by 4-fold at a concentration of 0.3 ng/ml and half-maximal effect was observed at a concentration of 15 pg/ml. In addition to its mitogenic effect, bFGF stimulated alkaline phosphatase activity by 3.6-fold. Continuous treatment with bFGF (for 21 days) resulted in a 6.3-fold increase in the culture dish surface area covered by bone-like mineralized tissue. Maximal bone-like tissue formation was observed in the presence of 3 ng/ml bFGF with half-maximal effect at a concentration of 0.3 ng/ml. These results indicate the possible role of bFGF in the proliferation of osteogenic rat bone marrow cells and their differentiation into cells of osteoblast-like phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Hemodynamics Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Noff
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pitaru
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Savion
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase