Fibroblasts Isolated from Human Pterygia Exhibit Transformed Cell Characteristics

Pterygium is a degenerative corneal limbal process and UV irradiation has been suggested as being a major environmental predisposing factor. The invasive nature of the fibroblasts associated with pterygia raises the question as to whether these cells are transformed. To test this hypothesis, we esta...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal 1994-04, Vol.30A (4), p.243-248
Main Authors: Chen, Jan-Kan, Ray J. -F. Tsai, Song-Shu Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
3T3 cells
Adult
Animal cells
Biological and medical sciences
Cell Adhesion - drug effects
Cell cultures. Hybridization. Fusion
Cell Division - drug effects
Cell growth
Cell Line, Transformed
Conjunctiva - pathology
Cultured cells
Embryonic cells
Epidermal Growth Factor - pharmacology
Epithelial cells
Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 - pharmacology
Fibroblast growth factors
Fibroblasts
Fibroblasts - drug effects
Fibroblasts - pathology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Growth, Differentiation, and Senescence
Humans
Irradiation
Male
Middle Aged
Molecular and cellular biology
Phenotype
Phenotypes
Pterygium
Pterygium - pathology
Time Factors
Transforming Growth Factor beta - pharmacology
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Summary:Pterygium is a degenerative corneal limbal process and UV irradiation has been suggested as being a major environmental predisposing factor. The invasive nature of the fibroblasts associated with pterygia raises the question as to whether these cells are transformed. To test this hypothesis, we established fibroblast strains from autologous and heterologous pterygial and conjunctival specimens, respectively, from subjects between 40 to 50 yr of age, and compared their growth characteristics in culture. All pterygial fibroblast strains exhibited a reduced dependence on serum and exogenous growth factors for growth and reached a saturation population density that was threefold higher than conjunctival fibroblasts cultured under the same conditions. In addition, all pterygial fibroblast strains were able to form colonies in soft agar in 5% fetal bovine serum at a 6.0 to 7.5% efficiency. Under the same experimental conditions, none of the conjunctival fibroblast strains were able to grow. The results presented support the conclusion that pterygial fibroblasts have acquired many of the properties of the transformed phenotype.
ISSN:1071-2690
1543-706X
DOI:10.1007/BF02632046