A low-molecular weight chick brain-derived growth factor is mitogenic for cultured astroglia from the chick embryo.
Immunohistochemically defined astrocytes from the 10-day chick embryo were stimulated to incorporate increased levels of [3H]thymidine when a low-molecular weight peptide growth factor, chick brain-derived growth factor (CBGF), was added to the cultures. Treatment of these GFAP-positive astrocytes with 10 ng/ml CBGF in medium supplemented with 1% fetal bovine serum resulted in a 3.5-4-fold increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation when compared to astrocytes cultured in defined medium supplemented with 1% serum alone. CBGF had no effect on the survival, proliferation or differentiation of a number of other cell types from the 10-day chick embryo brain, including neurons and meningeal fibroblasts. CBGF was also ineffective as a mitogen for chick embryo skeletal muscle myoblasts, primary mouse embryo fibroblasts and one murine teratocarcinoma-derived cell line (STO). We suggest that CBGF might act as a mitogenic signal for astroglia during central nervous system development and repair.
Carlone
R L
RL
Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ont., Canada.
Waters
B W
BW
Leonard
S M
SM
Vijh
K M
KM
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000032:analysis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008934:Mitogens / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013936:Thymidine
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D008934:Mitogens; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D013936:Thymidine