Growth of normal human keratinocytes and fibroblasts in serum-free medium is stimulated by acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor

✍ Scribed by Gary D. Shipley; Winifred W. Keeble; Jill E. Hendrickson; Robert J. Coffey Jr.; Mark R. Pittelkow

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 947 KB
• Volume: 138
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-9541
• DOI: 10.1002/jcp.1041380310

✦ Synopsis

Keratinocytes and fibroblasts isolated from human neonatal foreskin can be plated and grown through multiple rounds of division in vitro under defined serum-free conditions. We utilized these growth conditions to examine the mitogenic potential of acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF and bFGF) on these cells. Our results c~emonslrate that both aFGF and bFGF can stimulate the proliferation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts. aFGF is a more potent mitogen than bFCF for keratinocytes. In contrast, bFGF appears to be more potent than aFLF in stimulating the growth of fibroblast cultures. Heparin sulfate (10 pg/ml) dramatically inhibited the ability of bFGF to stimulate thc proliferation of keratinocytes. In comparison, heparin slightly inhibited the stirnulatory effect of aFGF and had no effect on epidermal growth factor (ECF) stimulation in keratinocyte cultures. In fibroblast cultures the addition of heparin enhanced the mitogenic effect of aFGF, had a minimal stimulatory effect on the mitogenic activity of bFGF, and had no effect on ELF-stimulated growth. Our results demonstrate that the proliferation in vitro of two normal cell types found in the skin can be influencxd by aFGF and bFGF and demonstrate cell-type specific differences in (he responsiveness of fibroblasts and keratinocytes to these growth factors and heparin.