Abstract
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF,FGF-2) is a potent mitogen for a wide variety of cells, such as fibroblasts, keratinocytes and endothelial cells. bFGF also induces the differentiation, angiogenesis and chemotaxis of a variety of cells. In wound healing, bFGF particularly stimulates the formation of mature granulation tissue and plays a key role in angiogenesis and re-epithelization. Recombinant human bFGF has been widely used as a progressive therapeutic drug for skin ulcers in Japan since 2001. In the future, bFGF will be used in the regeneration of bone tissues and alveolar bones. In the present study, we analyzed the proliferation of cultured human dermal fibroblasts. We found that bFGF stimulated the proliferation of the cells in a dose-dependent manner in conditions with low-dose (1%) bovine serum, however, bFGF did not stimulate the proliferation of cells without serum. We suggest that bFGF and unknown molecules in serum have cooperative effects in the activation of proliferation.
