Epidermal growth factor promotes the chemotactic migration of cultured rat intestinal epithelial cells.
The RIE-1 cell line is an untransformed, epithelial cell line derived from the rat small intestine. We report that epidermal growth factor (EGF), which regulates the proliferation of RIE-1 cells, also directs their movement. We measured cell migration through gelatin-coated filters in blind-well Boyden chambers. The migration of RIE-1 cells was stimulated up to approximately 100-fold by EGF, with a half-maximal response at 1-2 ng/ml and a maximal effect at 10 ng/ml. Further analysis showed that the RIE-1 cells responded directionally to a gradient of EGF in solution. Other growth factors tested did not stimulate RIE-1 cell migration, and EGF did not stimulate the migration of fibroblasts in this assay. We conclude that EGF is a potent and specific chemo-attractant for RIE-1 intestinal epithelial cells and suggest that EGF might influence epithelial cell migration in vivo.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D005780:Gelatin; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats
D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D005780:Gelatin