title: Bovine brain astrocytes express basic fibroblast growth factor, a neurotropic and angiogenic mitogen.
abstract: Astrocytes derived from adult bovine corpus callosum contain large amounts of mitogenic activity for capillary endothelial cells and astrocytes. On the basis of radioimmunoassay, bioassay and immunoneutralization studies, 99.5% of this activity consists of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Immunoblot and gene expression analysis are also consistent with the synthesis of bFGF. The remainder of bioactivity [0.5%] is accounted for by acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF). These data suggest that astrocytes are a source of brain-derived bFGF and to a much lesser extent also of aFGF. Considering that bFGF has been proposed to play a role in the development and differentiation of the nervous system through its angiogenic and neurotropic properties, its presence in astrocytes provides a rationale for the complex regulatory and neurotropic functions attributed to these cells. Also, the ability of bFGF to stimulate the growth of astrocytes themselves suggest a role for the mitogen in normal and aberrant proliferation of astrocytes.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, University of California Medical Center, San Francisco 94143.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ousley
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gospodarowicz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008934:Mitogens / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors