Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) stimulates the proliferation of Muller glia-derived progenitor cells in avian and murine retinas.

ABSTRACT: Müller glia can be stimulated to de-differentiate, proliferate and form Müller glia-derived progenitor cells (MGPCs) that regenerate retinal neurons. In the zebrafish retina, heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) may be one of the key factors that stimulate the formation of proliferating MGPCs. Currently nothing is known about the influence of HB-EGF on the proliferative potential of Müller glia in retinas of birds and rodents. In the chick retina, we found that levels of both hb-egf and egf-receptor are rapidly and transiently up-regulated following NMDA-induced damage. Although intraocular injections of HB-EGF failed to stimulate cell-signaling or proliferation of Müller glia in normal retinas, HB-EGF stimulated proliferation of MGPCs in damaged retinas. By comparison, inhibiti

SUBMITTER: Todd L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4658256 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature