Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor and hyaluronic acid on proliferation of rabbit chondrocytes in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and hyaluronic acid (HA) on the proliferation of rabbit chondrocytes in vitro.


METHODS
Chondrocytes from the knee joints of New Zealand white rabbits were cultured. bFGF or HA or both were added into the culture medium respectively, and the proliferation of the chondrocytes was measured with MTT 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2, 5-diphenyl-tetra-zolium bromide. (MTT, Sigma, M2128).


RESULTS
Basic fibroblast growth factor (10 ng/ml) with low concentration of fetal bovine serum in the culture medium promoted the proliferation of chondrocytes significantly, and this effect reached its maximum when concentration of bFGF reached 50 ng/ml. HA itself had no effect on the proliferation of chondrocytes. However, when bFGF was used in combination with HA, especially when the concentration of bFGF was 50-500 ng/ml and that of HA was 10-50 ng/ml, the effect on the proliferation of chondrocytes was much more than when bFGF or HA was used alone.


CONCLUSIONS
bFGF can promote the proliferation of chondrocytes. HA, which has no effect on the proliferation of the cells, can maintain a normal growth of chondrocytes. When bFGF is used in combination with HA, more proliferation is obtained.
Shen
Yan
Y
Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital, Guangzhou Institute of Traumatic Surgery, Guangzhou 510220, China. Ann8cn@yahoo.com.cn
Li
Si-ming
SM
Tang
Yi
Y
Zhong
Can-can
CC
Liang
Pei-hong
PH
Chen
Hong-hui
HH
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D011817:Rabbits; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid