Effect of placental factors on growth and function of the human fetal adrenal in vitro

Journal Article · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Biology of Reproduction; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod41.5.779· OSTI ID:7138024

Riopel, L; Branchaud, C L; Goodyer, C G; Zweig, M; Lipowski, L; Adkar, V; Lefebvre, Y ^[1]

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1. McGill Univ.-Montreal Children's Hospital Research Institute, Quebec (Canada)

Conditioned medium from human placental monolayer cultures (PM) had a marked stimulatory effect on proliferation (3H-thymidine uptake) of human fetal zone adrenal cells in primary monolayer culture, even in the absence of serum. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) also significantly stimulated fetal adrenal cell growth. However, the effects of PM differed from those of EGF and FGF in several respects: (1) maximal response to PM was 2-5 times greater; (2) mitogenic effects of EGF and FGF were suppressed by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), whereas that of 50% PM was not; (3) PM inhibited ACTH-stimulated steroidogenesis (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and cortisol), but EGF and FGF did not. Preliminary characterization studies have indicated that approximately half of the placental growth-promoting activity is heat resistant and sensitive to bacterial proteases, and that 50-60% of the activity is lost after dialysis with membranes having a molecular weight cutoff of 3500. These findings suggest a role for the placenta in the growth and differentiated function of the human fetal adrenal gland.

• OSTI ID: 7138024
• Journal Information: Biology of Reproduction; (USA), Journal Name: Biology of Reproduction; (USA) Vol. 41:5; ISSN BIREB; ISSN 0006-3363
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ACTH
ADRENAL GLANDS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
AZINES
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BODY
CELL CULTURES
CELL PROLIFERATION
CULTURE MEDIA
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
FETUSES
FUNCTIONS
GLANDS
GROWTH FACTORS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HORMONES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
KINETICS
MAMMALS
MAN
MITOGENS
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PITUITARY HORMONES
PREGNANCY
PRIMATES
PROTEINS
PYRIMIDINES
REACTION KINETICS
RIBOSIDES
THYMIDINE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES