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Identification of alpha transforming growth factor as a possible local trophic agent for the mammary gland
Author(s) -
Smith J. A.,
Barraclough R.,
Fernig D. G.,
Rudland P. S.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/jcp.1041410218
Subject(s) - identification (biology) , alpha (finance) , trophic level , mammary gland , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , transforming growth factor , growth factor , computational biology , ecology , biochemistry , genetics , medicine , receptor , cancer , construct validity , nursing , patient satisfaction , breast cancer
Biologically active alpha‐transforming growth factor (α‐TGF) has been identified in medium conditioned by rat mammary myoepithelial and, to a lesser extent, by epithelial cell lines in culture and in the rat mammary gland. The α‐TGF has been identified by its wide spectrum of activity in promoting growth of mammary‐derived cells in vitro, by its chromatographic behaviour on reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), by its competition with epidermal growth factor (EGF) for the EGF receptor, and by the presence of messenger RNA for α‐TGF in the secreting cells. In vivo the amount of α‐TGF isolated is sixfold greater from the mammary glands of lactating than from those of virgin female rats. It is proposed that α‐TGF is produced by the myoepithelial cells of the mammary gland, as a local trophic agent that stimulates growth of the various cell types of the gland.