[The existence of epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor in human lens epithelial cells]

The aqueous humor supplies the lens with nutrition. Recently, the existence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF) has been confirmed in the human aqueous humor. For this reason, it was thought that the function of these growth factors was related to the physiological condition of the lens epithelial cells (LEC). Therefore, we looked for the existence of receptors for EGF, FGF, and the internalization of EGF and b-FGF using LEC from human cataractous lenses in immunohistochemistry. We confirmed the existence of receptors for EGF and FGF as well as the internalization of EGF and b-FGF. From these results. We inferred that the function of EGF and b-FGF was strongly related to the physiological condition of LEC.