Chemotactic and haptotactic activities of fibronectin for cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cells

A previous study reported that both fibronectin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulated corneal epithelial resurfacing. Fibronectin appears in the cornea after injury, and corneal epithelial cells migrate over the temporary fibronectin matrix. To determine whether fibronectin serves as chemoattractant and haptoattractant for the directed movement of corneal epithelial cells, the directed migration of cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cells was measured in vitro using a Boyden chamber. Chemotactic and haptotactic migration were assayed separately. Fibronectin was found to stimulate attachment of corneal epithelial cells and to have chemotactic, haptotactic and chemokinetic activities for the corneal epithelial cells. In contrast, EGF had no chemotactic activity.