title: Distribution of epidermal growth factor receptors in rabbit lens epithelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the growth-promoting effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on rabbit lens epithelial cells and the distribution of EGF receptors in these cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbit lens epithelial cells were cultured in TC-199 medium containing 0.5% fetal bovine serum and EGF for 1 to 5 days, and the growth-promoting effects of EGF were calculated with absorbance of methylene blue staining method. EGF receptors in the cells were analyzed by Scatchard plots using 125I-EGF in serum-free culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGF, which enhanced the cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, was stimulatory at 0.1-100 ng/ml and maximal (328.2%) with 10 ng/ml on day 5. The cells had two different affinity receptors. The number and the dissociation constant of the low affinity receptors were 5.81 x 10(4)/cell and 1.488 nM, respectively, and those of the high affinity receptors were 1.53 x 10(4)/cell and 0.159 nM, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGF may contribute to the development of living lenses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hongo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Itoi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamura
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Imanishi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors