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Background
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Endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF) is an extract of bovine brain containing growth promoting factors for vascular endothelial cells of mammalian origin. Endothelial cell growth factor is prepared using a modification of the method of Maciag, et al. (1979) lyophilized from a sterile solution containing NaCl and streptomycin sulfate. ECGFpro2 is supplemented with recombinant human VEGF-C (corresponding to 50 ng/ml) a concentration sufficient for the cultivation of lymphatic endothelial cells. Lymphatic endothelial cells from human skin can be established as primary cultures by traditional methods. The serial propagation of these cells has proved to be difficult. The long-term propagation of these cells in vitro can be achieved with an extract prepared from bovine brain. The introduction of a fibronectin or collagen matrix to the cell culture system allows cultivating endothelial cells at clonal densities. With ECGF, the FCS requirement can be reduced. Heparin potentiates the mitogenic activity of crude preparations of ECGF. ECGF has also been reported to eliminate the need for feeder cells in the clonal growth of hybridomas and other cell types.
Synonyms: Endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF), Endothelial cell growth supplement (ECGS)
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