In an effort to elucidate control mechanisms for developmentally programmed cell death, conditions were sought which rescue the cells destined to die. Three areas of mesodermal cell death in the chick wing were examined, the posterior necrotic zone (PNZ) , the opaque patch (OP) and apical mesoderm. The PNZ and OP are areas of normally programmed cell death whereas the apical mesoderm undergoes ...

We previously reported that basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) activates p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase resulting in the stimulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells and that FGF-2-activated p38 MAP kinase negatively regulates VEGF release. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of stress-activated protein ...

The genetic basis of thrombocytopenia-absent radius (TAR) syndrome was recently identified to be related to the RBM8A gene. The encoded protein (known as the Y14 protein) is widely expressed in human cells (including osteoblasts) and plays several essential intracellular functions. Hence, the pathogenesis of radial ray deficiency in thrombocytopeniaabsent radius syndrome remains a mystery. The ...

PC12 cells, which differentiate morphologically and biochemically into sympathetic neuron-like cells when treated with nerve growth factor, also respond to fibroblast growth factor. Some of the changes induced by fibroblast growth factor are similar to those seen after nerve growth factor treatment. Specifically, pituitary fibroblast growth factor causes the formation of processes initially com...

Previous studies have indicated that fetal skin fibroblasts display an elevated level of migratory activity compared to adult cells and that this may result from inherent differences in the production of hyaluronan (HA) by these cells. Data presented in this communication indicate that the elevated level of fetal fibroblast migration into 3D-collagen gels and HA synthesis by these cells were no...

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling begins with the formation of a ternary complex of FGF, FGF receptor (FGFR), and heparan sulfate (HS). Multiple models have been proposed for the ternary complex. However, major discrepancies exist among those models, and none of these models have evaluated the functional importance of the interacting regions on the HS chains. To resolve the discrepancies...

In the rat spinal cord, we found substantial co-existence of fibroblast growth factor-2, fibroblast growth factor receptor (type-1 or flg) immunoreactivity and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase activity (a histochemical marker for neuronal nitric oxide synthase) in preganglionic autonomic cell groups of intermediate layers VI, VII and X. Anti-fibroblast grow...

We previously showed that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a potent mitogen for human bone marrow (BM) stromal cells and significantly delays their senescence. In the present study, we demonstrated that low concentrations of bFGF (0.2 to 2 ng/mL) enhance myelopoiesis in long-term human BM culture. Addition of bFGF to long-term BM cultures resulted in an increase in (a) the number of non...

PURPOSE To identify the patterns of protein expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and FGF receptors 1 and 2 in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and their role in the early pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Archived tissue from NSCLC (adenocarcinoma and SCC; n = 321) and adjacent bronchial epithelial specimens (n = 426) were analy...