Conjugation
of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor on a
Heparin Gradient for Regulating the Migration of Different Types of
Cells
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Abstract
Regulation
of cell migration by cell growth factors is critical
in tissue regeneration such as angiogenesis, wound healing, and bone
formation. In this work, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) with
a density varying between 0 and 295 ng/cm<sup>2</sup> was conjugated
on heparinized glass slides. The amount of conjugated bFGF was determined
by immunofluorescent staining. The mobility of vascular smooth muscle
cells (VSMCs) was largely dominated by the bFGF density, whereas that
of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) was slightly
influenced. The migration rate of VSMCs increased initially and then
decreased along with the increase of bFGF density. The fastest rate
(∼22 μm/h) was found on the bFGF surface with a density
of 83 ng/cm<sup>2</sup>. The intrinsic mechanisms of the diverse migration
behaviors of the VSMCs, MSCs, and ECs were revealed by studying the
expression of bFGF receptors and migration-related proteins. The results
show that the cell mobility is regulated by complex and synergetic
intracellular signals in a cell type-dependent manner
