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Related Experiment Videos

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) levels in the developing rat brain.

C G Caday1, M Klagsbrun, P J Fanning

  • 1CNS Growth Factor Research Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.

Brain Research. Developmental Brain Research
|March 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) significantly increase in developing rat brains, supporting neural growth and synapse formation. Differential accumulation of acidic and basic FGF suggests distinct roles in brain development.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are crucial polypeptides influencing central nervous system (CNS) glia, endothelial cells, and neurons.
  • FGFs exhibit potent trophic effects and bind strongly to heparin, with their activity often measured by mitogenic assays on Balb/c 3T3 cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the changes in acidic and basic FGF levels during rat brain development.
  • To confirm the presence and characterize the elution profiles of FGFs in developing rat brain tissue.

Main Methods:

  • Assaying Balb/c 3T3 cell mitogenic activity in developing rat brain extracts.
  • Utilizing heparin-affinity chromatography to isolate FGFs.
  • Employing immunoblotting techniques with specific anti-FGF sera for confirmation.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analyzing FGF levels using heparin-affinity high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

    • Main Results:

    • A significant 13-fold increase in FGF-like mitogenic activity was observed in the developing rat brain, from embryonic stages to the third postnatal week, with high levels maintained in mature brains.
    • Most of the brain's mitogenic activity bound to heparin-affinity columns, eluting at positions consistent with acidic FGF (aFGF) and basic FGF (bFGF).
    • Immunoblotting confirmed the presence of aFGF and bFGF. HPLC revealed a proportionally greater increase in aFGF than bFGF levels between postnatal days 10 and 40.

    Conclusions:

    • FGF levels increase substantially during critical periods of rat brain development.
    • These FGFs likely play vital roles in glial and capillary proliferation, neuronal outgrowth, and synapse formation.
    • The differential accumulation rates of aFGF and bFGF suggest distinct physiological functions in the developing CNS.