Expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 by human ventricular explants in culture

There is increasing evidence from animal studies for autocrine and paracrine systems in the heart. As the local role of these peptide systems in the human heart is not clear, we assessed cardiac explants in culture as a model for the study of growth factor expression by the heart in humans. Human right ventricular septal biopsies were maintained as explants for up to 9 days in serum-supplemented medium. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) expression was measured by radioimmunoassay and results corrected for tissue protein content. IGF-1 was synthesised by ventricular explants but not secreted into the culture medium. This culture model has the potential to provide insight into the regulation of and response to growth factor expression by the heart in humans.