Synergistic influence of polypeptide growth factors on cultured human muscle
V. Askanas and G. Gallez-Hawkins
In two- to five-week tissue cultures of biopsied adult human skeletal
muscle, combined addition to the culture medium of insulin, fibroblast
growth factor, and epidermal growth factor synergistically increased
creatine kinase activity 17-fold, increased acetylcholine receptors
tenfold, and accelerated muscle differentiation. This study provides the
first demonstration of the beneficial influence of these peptides on human
muscle. It also establishes a new culture medium, resulting in the
following: (1) much better long-term growth and differentiation of biopsied
adult human muscle; and (2) by allowing elimination of embryo extract and
reduction of serum, an important step toward developing a fully defined
medium for culturing biopsied adult human normal and pathologic muscle
tissue.
