title: Growth factor control of growth and epithelial differentiation in embryonic lungs.
abstract: embryonic lung cultures were exposed to either EGF (10 ng/ml) or TGF beta 1 (2 ng/ml) for 72 h, and branching morphogenesis, cell proliferation, and epithelial differentiation (the expression of DSPC synthesis and of surfactant protein C (SP-C) mRNA) were studied. EGF treatment stimulated branching morphogenesis (measured as the number of terminal left lung buds), epithelial differentiation, and cell proliferation. Branching morphogenesis was increased compared to controls after 48 h of culture by 47% and after 72 h by 34% (P < 0.0005). Choline incorporation into DSPC was stimulated by 343% (P = 0.05). SP-C expression was increased sixfold. Thymidine incorporation was stimulated by 49% (P < 0.05). The effects of EGF on thymidine labeling were distributed among epithelial cells of the airway walls and of the branching tips, and also the mesenchyme (P < 0.01 for each area compared to controls). In contrast, TGF beta 1 did not alter the number of terminal left lung buds, inhibited choline incorporation into DSPC by 35% (P < 0.05), and had no effect on thymidine incorporation (87% of control). There was increased thymidine labeling at the branching tips (P < 0.01), while other areas were not different from controls. We conclude that both EGF and TGF beta 1 affect the development of branching morphogenesis and of epithelial differentiation in the embryonic lung.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Floating Hospital for Children, New England Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Volpe
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hatzis
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Vosatka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D017931:DNA Primers; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D004848:Epithelium; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D051379:Mice; D008940:Mitotic Index; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D011510:Proteolipids; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor