Acidic fibroblast growth factor (HBGF‐1) stimulates DNA synthesis in primary rat hepatocyte cultures

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Abstract
Acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) stimulated DNA synthesis in primary rat hepatocyte cultures in a dose-dependent manner with maximal effect at 10–50 ng ml−1. This activity was dependent on the presence of heparin at a concentration of 10–50 μ·ml−1. Insulin interacted synergistically with aFGF, as it did with epidermal growth factor (EGF). The response to aFGF was only 50% that found with EGF. The disparity was not due to different kinetics of DNA synthesis, since the peak response for both growth factors occurred at 36–72 hr after plating of the hepatocytes. The potential relevance of this novel hepatocyte mitogen to normal and pathological liver growth is discussed.