Keratocyte migration and peptide growth factors: the effect of PDGF, bFGF, EGF, IGF-I, aFGF and TGF-ß on human keratocyte migration in a collagen gel

Abstract

PURPOSE. Peptide growth factors are known accelerators of corneal wound healing, probably mediated through increased proliferation of the cells; however, information about their effect on keratocyte motility is lacking. The influence of peptide growth factors on keratocyte migratory activity was investigated, using the following growth factors: platelet derived growth factor (PDGF-BB), epidermal growth factor (EGF), acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and transforming growth factor-beta-1 (TGF-ß1). METHODS. Keratocytes were seeded on gels of type I collagen, growth factor added, and the cells left to migrate for 72 hours. Subsequently, the number of keratocytes at the different levels in the collagen gel was evaluated by optically sectioning the gel at 20 mm intervals, with an inverted phase contrast microscope. RESULTS. PDGF, EGF and bFGF at 10 ng/ml, all increased the number of keratocytes at the different levels of the gel ...