Abstract
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is synthesized in abundance in mammalian kidney and appears in urine (Reg. Pep. 10:37, 1984). It is apparently trophic for the intestine in the postnatal period (Ped Res 19:213, 1985) but little is known about its function in kidney. We have characterized the high affinity binding sites for EGF in membrane fractions from rat and human kidney at various stages of development. Crude membrane fractions sedirnenting in buffered 0.25 M sucrose between 8000-15000 x g were prepared from pooled fetal and postnatal whole kidneys. Specific binding of I125-labelled murine EGF rose from 2.32% (% of total CPM bound/300 ug prot) in 16-18 day fetal rats to 3.3% just prior to birth at 21-22 days. Thereafter, EGF binding fell rapidly to lower levels ( 0.5%) by one month of postnatal age. Specific binding of I125-labelled human EGF was low (0.41%) in pooled kidney membranes obtained obtained at the time of therapeutic abortion by D and C (16-18 weeks gestation). In 2 infants (36 and 40 weeks gestation, respectively) who died in the first 2 weeks of life, EGF binding was 0.67% and 1.95%, respectively. In one 60 year old adult male, specific EGF binding was 0.37%.
These findings suggest that renal EGF receptors are most abundant in late fetal life and may play a role in kidney development at that stage.
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Goodyer, P., Fata, J., Kachra, Z. et al. ONTOGENY OF RECEPTORS FOR EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR IN MAMMALIAN KIDNEY. Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 214 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00286
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00286