Induction of mesodermal tissues by acidic and basic heparin binding growth factors

The inducing activity of two heparin binding growth factors HBGF-1 (prostate epithelial cell growth factor; acidic pI) and HBGF-2 (fibroblast growth factor; basic pI) from bovine brain has been tested on totipotent ectoderm from early amphibian (Xenopus laevis, Ambystoma mexicanum) embryos. Both factors induced, at high concentrations, mostly compact spheres surrounded by a non-epidermal epithelium. When the concentration or time of incubation was reduced, large muscle inductions frequently organized as somites were formed besides endothelial vesicles, mesenchyme and smaller areas of intestine-like epithelium. Further reduction of the concentrations or the time of incubation led to an increase in size and number of endothelium-lined vesicles and of mesenchyme, whereas the induction of muscle decreased. At still lower concentrations the overall rate of inductions decreased. The relationship of the growth factors to the vegetalizing factor from chicken embryos, dilution of which shows a similar shift in induced organs, is discussed. The present and previous experiments suggest that different mesodermal and endodermal tissues are induced by secondary interactions in which additional factors are involved. The induced organs derive from dorsal as well as from ventral mesoderm.