Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Fibroblast Growth Factors”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Immunohistochemical localization of growth factors fibroblast growth factor-1 and fibroblast growth factor-2 and receptors fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 and fibroblast growth factor receptor-3 in normal oral epithelium, epithelial dysplasias, and squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) have been identified in a variety of carcinomas, but there are few studies concerning their presence in oral cancers. The objective of this study was to determine whether FGF-1, FGF-2, and high affinity receptors FGFR2 and FGFR3 are present in the pathogenesis of oral epithelial dysplasias and oral squamous cell carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Sections from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of oral normal mucosa (n = 14), epithelial dysplasia (n = 20), carcinoma in situ (n = 10), and squamous cell carcinoma (n = 12) were tested for cytoplasmic staining by standard in situ immunohistochemistry with antibodies for FGF-1, FGF-2, FGFR2, and FGFR3. RESULTS: Staining for FGF-1 is decreased or lost in the development of epithelial dysplasia and carcinoma. Staining for FGF-2 showed increased intensity (although not statistically significant) in oral epithelial dysplasias and squamous cell carcinomas and showed a significant increased expression in the upper layers of dysplasias and stratum spinosum-like cells in squamous cell carcinomas. Staining for FGFR2 showed a statistically significant increase in intensity in all layers of epithelial dysplasias and squamous cell carcinomas. Staining for FGFR3 was found in the upper stratum spinosum cells of normal and dysplastic epithelium and well-differentiated squamous cells in squamous cell carcinomas, with a statistically significant increase in staining intensity in dysplastic and carcinomatous tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The loss of FGF-1 is consistent with loss of differentiation in dysplasias and some squamous cell carcinomas. Changes in the localization of FGF-2 and FGFR2 into upper epithelial layers with increasing dysplasia suggest increased mitotic potential of high level cells. The co-localization of FGF-2 and its high affinity receptors in neoplastic tissues suggests an autocrine mechanism of influence on carcinogenesis.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1987

Effects of epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, minoxidil and hydrocortisone on growth kinetics in human hair bulb papilla cells and root sheath fibroblasts cultured in vitro.

Comparative studies on growth kinetics of cultivated human hair bulb papilla cells (PCs) and hair root sheath fibroblasts (RSFs) yielded evidence of some peculiarities of PCs in both proliferative behavior and morphological growth pattern. As the dermal papilla, essentially supporting the nutrition of matrix epithelium, can be considered a target tissue for agents influencing maintenance of hair growth, we studied the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), minoxidil (Mino), and hydrocortisone (HC) on the proliferation of PCs and RSFs, both gained from dissected hair follicles of scalp biopsy specimens of two male adults and separately cultured in vitro. EGF and FGF proved to increase proliferation of both PCs and RSFs most, yet at a different intensity for each cell group. HC slowed proliferation, and Mino failed to influence growth of PCs and RSFs.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Markedly elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and interleukin 6 in Meigs syndrome.

Analysis of serum and peritoneal and pleural fluid from a patient with Meigs' syndrome revealed high levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and interleukin 6. Serum levels declined after removal of the ovarian tumor, along with resolution of ascites and hydrothorax. These findings suggest the involvement of these vasoactive factors in ascites and pleural fluid formation in Meigs' syndrome.

Ascites↗
PubMed1983

Differential and synergistic actions of somatomedin-like growth factors, fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor in rabbit costal chondrocytes.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulated DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis and cell division of rabbit costal chondrocytes in culture, but did not stimulate nor inhibit proteoglycan synthesis. Multiplication-stimulating activity (MSA) and cartilage-derived factor (CDF) with somatomedin-like activity had relatively small effects on DNA synthesis and cell division of chondrocytes, but markedly enhanced the synthesis of sulfated proteoglycans. MSA and EGF had additive or synergistic effects on the growth of rabbit chondrocytes. MSA and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) also had additive or synergistic effects on the growth of rabbit chondrocytes. CDF mimicked these effects of MSA; CDF and MSA had similar stimulatory effects on DNA synthesis in rabbit chondrocytes even in the presence of EGF, FGF or both. MSA and CDF did not reduce the concentrations of EGF and FGF required for maximum stimulation of DNA synthesis. In addition, EGF and FGF had additive effects on DNA synthesis and cell division of rabbit costal chondrocytes in culture. These findings suggest that the somatomedin-like factors, EGF and FGF have complementary effects in chondrocytes and provide further evidence that CDF produced by chondrocytes resembles somatomedin in its biological action in chondrocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Differentiation factors, including nerve growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and interleukin-6, induce an accumulation of an active Ras.GTP complex in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells.

Ras has been thought to be involved in neuronal differentiation of rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. PC12 cells are immature adrenal chromaffin-like cells which undergo differentiation to sympathetic neuron-like cells in response to nerve growth factor (NGF). Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and interleukin (IL)-6 can also induce differentiation of PC12 cells. In this paper, we report that NGF, FGF, and IL-6 induce an accumulation of an active Ras.GTP complex. In the serum-starved culture of PC12 cells, 6% of the Ras protein was complexed with GTP. Upon stimulation with NGF, the percentage of Ras.GTP increased to 24% after 2 min, and the high level of Ras.GTP was maintained for at least 16 h. On the other hand, the activation of Ras by FGF and IL-6 showed distinct kinetics; about 3-fold increase of Ras.GTP was detected at 10 min, and afterward, the level returned to the basal level within 60 min. These observations provide direct evidence that activation of Ras is involved in signal transduction from these differentiation factors. In addition, it was found that growth factors, including epidermal growth factor, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-I, and a tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), can also activate Ras under the same conditions. A tyrosine kinase-specific inhibitor, genistein, inhibited the increase of Ras.GTP induced by NGF and other factors. On the other hand, down-regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) by prolonged treatment with TPA, which sufficiently blocked TPA-induced Ras activation, did not abolish the formation of Ras.GTP by NGF. These results suggest that tyrosine kinases rather than PKC play a major role in the NGF-induced activation of Ras in PC12 cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Mitogenic effects of platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta, and heparin-binding serum factor for adult mouse Schwann cells.

Mitogenic effects of fetal calf serum (FCS), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and forskolin to adult mouse Schwann cells were examined by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and double immunofluorescence for S100 and BrdU. PDGF-BB, basic FGF, and TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 were all mitogenic for Schwann cells in media containing FCS. Forskolin suppressed the mitogenic activity of these factors. In serum-free media, PDGF-BB and bFGF were also mitogenic, but TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 were not. Heparin-binding fractions of FCS obtained by heparin-Sepharose chromatography synergized with TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 to produce a mitogenic response. Since PDGF-BB, acidic FGF, and basic FGF were not detected in these fractions by immunoabsorption and immunoblot assays, the presence of unidentified heparin-binding molecules in FCS bioactive for adult mouse Schwann cells is suggested.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Involvement of Ca(2+)-calmodulin in platelet-derived growth factor-, fibroblast growth factor-, and insulin-induced ornithine decarboxylase in NIH-3T3 cells.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) was induced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), and insulin at doses ranging from 0.125 to 0.5 U/mL, 25 to 500 ng/mL, and 10(-8) to 10(-7) mol/L, respectively, in NIH-3T3 cells. The induction of ODC reached a plateau approximately 4 to 6 hours after addition of each mitogen. PDGF exerted a synergistic action with 10(-7) mol/L insulin until the concentration of PDGF reached 0.5 U/mL and exerted an additive action at concentrations greater than 0.5 U/mL. FGF also accelerated ODC induction by insulin (10(-7) mol/L) synergistically when it was added at doses up to 500 ng/mL. PDGF added to the intact monolayer cells caused a spike-and-plateau increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i); the spike was independent of extracellular Ca2+, whereas the plateau formation was dependent on extracellular Ca2+. On the other hand, FGF caused a plateau-like increase in [Ca2+]i, exclusively dependent on extracellular Ca2+. Insulin did not affect [Ca2+]i in NIH-3T3 cells. Trifluoperazine (15 to 30 mumol/L) inhibited the induction of ODC by PDGF and FGF, but did not inhibit the effect of insulin to induce ODC. N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-Naphthalenesulfonamide ([W-7] 30 to 40 mumol/L) showed a more profound suppressive effect on ODC induced by PDGF and FGF than N-(6-aminohexyl)-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-5) did. There was no difference between the effects of W-7 and W-5 on ODC induction by insulin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2005

Altered expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor-2 and endostatin in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in humans is characterized by hypervascularity. In the present study, the expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) and endostatin were analyzed in patients with chronic liver disease to clarify the effect of these major angiogenic factors. METHODS: Serum concentrations of VEGF, FGF-2 and endostatin in 24 patients with HCC, 16 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 13 healthy volunteers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of VEGF in 21 surgically resected HCC samples was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and that of VEGF isoforms in 15 HCC samples was assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Serum VEGF, FGF-2 and endostatin concentrations were significantly elevated in patients with HCC compared with healthy volunteers; but there was no significant difference between patients with HCC and those with non-HCC liver disease. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that VEGF protein was strongly expressed in both well-differentiated HCC cells and non-cancerous hepatocytes, whereas in moderately and poorly differentiated HCC the expression was stronger in the endothelial cells (EC) lining intratumor vessels than in the cancer cells. On RT-PCR for VEGF isoforms it was found that VEGF-121, VEGF-165 and VEGF-189 were expressed in all but one of the HCC samples and in all corresponding non-HCC samples. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that VEGF, FGF-2, and endostatin concentrations are elevated prior to the emergence of HCC and that the distribution of VEGF changes dynamically during the development of HCC.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 2, platelet derived growth factor and transforming growth factor beta released in human dental pulp following orthodontic force.

OBJECTIVE: The release of four diffusible angiogenic growth factors in human dental pulp following orthodontic force was investigated by using neutralising growth factor antibodies (NAs), individually and in four different combinations to block their effects. This study investigated if increasing the number of NAs (anti h vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), anti h fibroblast growth factor (FGF2), anti h platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and anti Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta)) in combination resulted in a progressive reduction of the angiogenic response of the pulp. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dental pulps from two groups of 40 premolar teeth, four teeth from each of 20 patients treated with fixed appliances for 2 weeks, were divided vertically, and sections from each half pulp co-cultured with sections of rat aorta in collagen. In one group, one of each of the four NAs, and in the other group, one of the four different NA combinations were added to the media of the co-cultures from one half of the pulp from each of the four teeth of each patient; the other half pulp co-cultures were controls. Cultures were examined daily by light microscopy for growth and number of microvessels. RESULTS: NAs significantly reduced microvessel numbers in the co-cultures when added individually (P<0.004), and in each of the four combinations (P<0.002), with a trend to progressively reduced microvessel numbers with increasing number of NAs in combination. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that all four angiogenic growth factors examined were released following orthodontic force application and play a role in the angiogenic response of the pulp, and that these factors may be more effective in combination.

Angiogenic Proteins↗
PubMed1992

Effects of epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor-beta on corneal cell chemotaxis.

The effects of recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) on migration of human and bovine corneal cells were determined using checkerboard analysis in Boyden chambers. EGF, FGF, and TGF-beta each stimulated high levels of chemotactic migration. Each growth factor, however, induced a different dose-response pattern. Migration stimulated by FGF reached a plateau at a concentration between 100 and 200 ng/ml for endothelial, epithelial, and stromal fibroblasts. By contrast, chemotactic responses to EGF peaked between 10 and 50 ng/ml, then decreased at higher concentrations. TGF-beta also stimulated a peak in migration in all three corneal cells, but the peak of migration occurred at an approximately 1000-fold lower concentration (1 pg/ml) than for EGF. Checkerboard analysis demonstrated that FGF and EGF, but not TGF-beta, stimulated chemokinesis of bovine, stromal, and endothelial cells. These results demonstrate that FGF, EGF, and TGF-beta induce migration in pure populations of bovine and human corneal cells and support the concept that these growth factors may play key roles in corneal wound healing by regulating migration of corneal cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and lactate dehydrogenase by human peritoneal mesothelial cells in solutions with lactate or bicarbonate or both.

In patients on long-term continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, the efficiency of dialysis declines because of peritoneal neovascularization and loss of peritoneal mesothelial cells. In this study, we investigated the influence of lactate and bicarbonate in peritoneal dialysis fluid on such changes of the peritoneum. We studied the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), which induce peritoneal neovascularization, by human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) cultured with lactate or bicarbonate or both. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was also measured to assess cell necrosis. Levels of VEGF, bFGF, and LDH in the culture supernatant showed a significant decrease after incubation of HPMCs with 15 mEq/L lactate plus 25 mEq/L bicarbonate, or with 40 mEq/L bicarbonate, as compared with incubation with 40 mEq/L lactate. Levels of VEGF and bFGF showed a concentration-dependent decrease when the cells were incubated with lactate or bicarbonate; a concentration-dependent increase of LDH was simultaneously observed. These results suggest that dialysis fluid containing 40 mEq/L bicarbonate is superior to fluid containing 40 mEq/L lactate with regard to its influence on the production of VEGF and bFGF although lactate and bicarbonate are both toxic for HPMCs.

Bicarbonates↗
PubMed1989

Effects of epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, retinoic acid and serum on anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent growth of HRRT cells.

The effects of EGF, FGF, RA and serum on anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent growth of HRRT cells were studied. The five different types of serum tested in the present work induced a dose dependent rise in anchorage-independent growth in aggregates. FCS, SBCS and RS also supported colony formation in soft agar, whereas BS and HS had no significant effect. EGF and FGF stimulated anchorage-dependent growth of HRRT cells in monolayers. The peptide growth factors were also found to induce phenotypic transformation of the nonneoplastic HRRT cells, as measured by anchorage-independent growth in soft agar as well as in aggregates. At equimolar concentrations EGF was much more effective than FGF. The stimulating effect of EGF and FGF on cell proliferation in the aggregate form was markedly inhibited by RA. Treatment of HRRT cells with the highest noncytotoxic concentration of RA, 2 x 10(-7) M, reduced the stimulating effect of both growth factors by about 60%.

Blood↗
PubMed1986

Induction and modulation of anchorage-independent growth by platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor-beta.

Transforming growth factors (TGFs) reversibly induce the anchorage-independent growth of nontransformed cells. TGF activity is often monitored by the growth of normal rat kidney (NRK) fibroblasts in soft agar, and it is known that more than one growth factor is involved in the regulation of their soft agar growth. To more clearly define the growth factors responsible for the soft agar growth of NRK cells, the effects of four growth factors were examined: platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF); TGF-beta; epidermal growth factor (EGF); and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). This study determined that PDGF induces the soft agar growth of NRK cells, in both plasma-supplemented medium and serum-free medium supplemented with FGF, and neither TGF-beta nor an EGF-related growth factor is required for this effect. It was also determined that FGF, which alone does not induce the soft agar growth of these cells, potentiates the responses of NRK cells to various combinations of PDGF, TGF-beta, and EGF. Interestingly, the effect of TGF-beta was found to depend on the growth factor composition of the medium. In the absence of EGF, TGF-beta partially inhibits the soft agar growth response of NRK cells to PDGF, whereas, in the presence of EGF, TGF-beta increases their response to PDGF. These findings indicate that at least four unrelated growth factors regulate the anchorage-independent growth of NRK cells. These findings have important implications for the use of NRK cells to assay TGFs.

Agar↗
PubMed1987

Effects of insulin-like growth factor I, platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and transforming growth factor-beta on thymidine incorporation into fetal liver cells.

We have studied the effect of different growth factors on thymidine incorporation in cell cultures of erythroid cells from fetal calf and rat livers, a system which has been used in the past as a bioassay for the purification of erythropoietin and erythropoietin-like factors. Insulin-like growth factor I significantly stimulated thymidine incorporation in calf and rat liver cells. Its action in both cell types was practically identical to the effect of bovine serum erythrotropin, a peptide structurally similar to insulin-like growth factor II. The synergistic effect between insulin-like growth factor I and erythropoietin could be observed with partially purified sheep plasma erythropoietin but not with recombinant human erythropoietin. The highest thymidine incorporation was observed when both erythropoietin and insulin-like growth factor I were added simultaneously. Platelet-derived growth factor had a lower thymidine incorporation-stimulating activity than insulin-like growth factor and did not have any synergistic effect with erythropoietin in rat liver cells. Fibroblast growth factor (0.4-6.0 ng/ml) was completely inactive in the thymidine incorporation assay of calf liver cells. Transforming growth factor-beta alone at a concentration of 1 ng/ml significantly inhibited thymidine incorporation into rat liver cells. It seems that from all growth factors tested so far, those belonging to the insulin family of peptides are the most likely to be detected in the thymidine incorporation assays using calf or rat liver cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Effects of epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and bovine serum albumin on ornithine decarboxylase activity of procine granulosa cells.

Epidermal growth factor, a potent mitrogen for granulosa cells produced a three-fold stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity in porcine granulose cells in vitro. Fibroblast growth factor, another compound with mitogenic activity for granulose cells, did not stimulate ornithine decarboxylase. Maximally effective concentrations of a commercial preparation of bovine serum albumin equalled the maximal effect of epidermal growth factor on this enzyme activity. The dominant stimulator(s) in the albumin preparation eluted after bovine serum albumin in gel filtration. At maximally effective concentrations, luteinizing hormone produced substantially greater stimulation than either epidermal growth factor or the bovine albumin preparation. Combinations of saturating doses of any two of these stimulators produced additive effects on enzyme activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Platelet-derived growth factor, insulin-like growth factors, fibroblast growth factors and transforming growth factor beta do not account for the cell growth activity present in bovine milk.

Cation-exchange chromatography effectively concentrates the cell growth activity present in whey and we have used this process as a basis to characterise further the growth factors present in bovine milk. Under neutral conditions, total bioactivity in the growth factor-enriched cation-exchange fraction chromatographed with an apparent molecular mass of 80-100 kDa. In contrast, acid gel-filtration chromatography resolved two peaks of cell growth activity. A peak at 15-25 kDa contained the bulk of growth activity for Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts while bio-activity for L6 myoblasts and skin fibroblasts eluted with a molecular mass of 6 kDa. A peak of inhibitory activity for Mv1Lu and MDCK cells also eluted at 15-25 kDa. Both IGF-I and IGF-II were purified from fractions that eluted at 6 kDa, although the IGF peptides alone did not account for the total bioactivity recovered. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), identified by radioreceptor assay, eluted at a slightly higher molecular mass than the peak of growth activity for Balb/c 3T3 cells, and an anti-PDGF antibody was without effect on the growth of Balb/c 3T3 cells in response to the whey-derived factors. Further purification of the inhibitory activity for epithelial cells yielded a sequence for transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), and all inhibitory activity for Mv1Lu cells was immunoneutralised by an antibody against TGF-beta. In contrast, this antibody decreased the growth of Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts in the whey-derived extract by only 10%. Finally, a cocktail of recombinant growth factors containing IGF-I, IGF-II, PDGF, TGF-beta and fibroblast growth factor 2 stimulated growth of Balb/c 3T3 cells to a level equivalent to only 51% of that observed in the milk-derived growth factor preparation. We conclude that: (i) cell growth activity recovered from bovine whey is present in acid-labile high molecular weight complexes; (ii) all cell growth inhibitory activity for epithelial cells can be accounted for by TGF-beta; (iii) IGF-I and IGF-II co-elute with the major peak of activity for L6 myoblasts and skin fibroblasts, although the IGF peptides alone do not explain the growth of these cells in the whey-derived extract; and (iv) neither PDGF nor TGF-beta account for the 15-25 kDa peak of Balb/c 3T3 growth activity. These data suggest the presence of additional mitogenic factors in bovine milk.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1993

Localization of acidic fibroblast growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and heparan sulphate proteoglycan in rat lens: implications for lens polarity and growth patterns.

PURPOSE: Previous research in this laboratory has shown that fibroblast growth factor stimulates lens epithelial explants to proliferate, migrate, and differentiate into fibers in a progressive dose-dependent manner. The lens has distinct compartments where cells proliferate (germinative zone), migrate, or get displaced (equator) and differentiate into fibers (transitional zone). These compartments occur in an anteroposterior spatial sequence and the authors hypothesized that fibroblast growth factor plays a critical role in determining these spatial patterns of lens growth and lens polarity. To investigate this hypothesis the distribution of fibroblast growth factor in the lens was analyzed. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to localize acidic fibroblast growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor in the cells and capsule of lenses from neonatal, weanling, and adult rats. Because of its functional relationship with fibroblast growth factor, heparan sulphate proteoglycan was also localized in the lens. RESULTS: In all ages examined, cytoplasmic acidic fibroblast growth factor is present in the germinative and transitional zones of the lens and both acidic fibroblast growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor are present in the capsule. A major finding is the co-localization of fibroblast growth factor and heparan sulphate proteoglycan reactivity in the lens capsule in the form of laminae. These laminae become more prominent as the capsule thickens and differences in arrangement of laminae between anterior, equatorial, and posterior regions of the capsule also become apparent. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of fibroblast growth factor in lens cells and capsule in neonatal, weanling, and adult rats indicates an important role for fibroblast growth factor in lens cell biology. Moreover, the regional distribution of fibroblast growth factor, particularly in the lens cells, indicates that it may influence determination of lens polarity and growth patterns.

Animals↗