Related Experiment Videos
Fibroblast growth factor. Chemical structure and biologic function
1Cancer Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
Abstract:
Basic and acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) are two closely related growth factors that interact with the same receptor. Structurally related to FGF are five different oncogenes that have been involved in mammary, stomach, and bladder cancers but whose precise functions in physiologic processes are presently unknown. Both basic and acidic FGF exert similar biologic effects on a wide range of mesoderm- and neuroectoderm-derived cells, acting both as morphogens and mitogens. In addition, basic FGF has been shown to act as a ventrovegetalizing factor, inducing, at the midblastulae stage, mesoderm formation from animal pole cells destined to form ectodermal structures. This primordial role explains the wide variety of tissues, ranging from the central and peripheral nervous system to the vascular system, that are affected by FGF during the late embryonic, neonatal, and adult phases of development.
Insights
Basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors (FGF) are crucial morphogens and mitogens affecting numerous tissues. Basic FGF also induces mesoderm formation, explaining its wide developmental roles from embryo to adult.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Oncogenes
Background:
- Basic and acidic fibroblast growth factors (FGF) share a receptor and similar biological effects.
- FGFs are structurally related to oncogenes implicated in various cancers.
- The precise physiological functions of FGFs are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the roles of basic and acidic FGF in physiological processes.
- To understand the broader impact of FGF signaling in development and disease.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of basic and acidic FGF functions.
- Investigating FGFs' roles as morphogens and mitogens.
- Examining FGFs' effects on mesoderm and neuroectoderm differentiation.
Main Results:
- Both FGF types act as morphogens and mitogens on diverse cell types.
- Basic FGF induces mesoderm formation from animal pole cells at the midblastula stage.
- FGF signaling impacts the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and vascular system throughout development.
Conclusions:
- FGFs play a fundamental role in embryonic development, influencing cell fate and tissue formation.
- Basic FGF's role as a ventrovegetalizing factor is critical for mesoderm induction.
- FGF signaling is vital for the development and maintenance of multiple organ systems.