Use of Eye Derived Growth Factor from Retina (EDGF) in a Defined Medium for the Culture of Bovine Epithelial Lens Cells

Summary

We have previously described that retina and other ocular tissues (iris, choroid, vitreous body) contain a growth factor named Eye Derived Growth Factor or EDGF different from Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF). Since proliferation of bovine epithelial lens cells (BEL cells) is stimulated by addition of EDGF or FGF but not of EGF when cultured in presence of optimal fetal calf serum concentration (6%) in MEM medium, we looked at the effect of these growth factors on proliferation of subcultured BEL cells in a serum free medium. MEM 199 - HAM F12 (1 : 1) supplemented with insulin and transferrin (5 μg × ml^-1), of EDGF or 10 ng × ml^-1 of EGF provided an increase of 70%. No synergistic effect on proliferation was observed with any combination of these growth factors. Hydrocortisone (10^-8 M) in combination with EDGF provided an increase in proliferation up to 80% of the serum supplemented control, however the cells elongate and looked so different from normal cells that this combination was not used. In the presence of EDGF the following hormones were inefficient: T3 (10^-12 to 10^-9M), PGE₁, (1 to 100 ng × ml^-1), LHRF (1to - 100 ng × ml^-1), testosterone or progesterone (0,1 to 10 ng × ml^-1).