Expression of mRNAs of multiple growth factors and receptors by neuronal cell lines: Detection with RT-PCR (original) (raw)

1. Although glial cells in culture are known to secrete growth factors and are also known to be responsive to some of them, detailed comparisons are difficult because the bulk of information was based on various animals of origin, developmental stages, growth properties, culture age, and culture conditions. 2. To present a unified picture of the growth factors and their receptors found in glial cells, we surveyed the expression of messenger RNAs of a panel of growth factors and receptors, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in three common glial cell types: rat astrocytes in primary culture, rat glioma line C6, and human glioma line A172. 3. We observed that normal and neoplastic glial cells in culture express multiple growth factors and also possess most of the receptors to these factors, suggesting multiple autocrine functions. In addition, glia produce growth factors known to be capable of acting on neurons, implicating paracrine function involving gila-neuron interaction. Glial cells also produce growth factors and receptors that are capable of communicating with hematopoietic cells, suggesting