Fibroblast overgrowth

Terry, T.L. (1942). Extreme prematurity and fibroblastic overgrowth of persistent vascular sheath behind each crystalline lens. 1. Preliminary reports. Am J. Ophthalmol. 25, 203-243. 

StemPro 34 supports differentiation of hESC/hIPSC to cardio-myocytes, but our experience is that the cardiomyocytes are less viable. Evaluating different media, we found that use of certain serum-free options, including Knock Out Serum replacer or B27/N2 supplement based media, yield healthy cardiomyocytes. Serum-free media also prevents fibroblast overgrowth, thus enhancing signal to background levels (Fig. 2). 

Rat embryo fibroblasts after several days of growth on plates. Normally these cells stop growing as they approach confluency (top frame). Overgrowth of the monolayer by rounded cells is indicative of cellular transformation. Two transformed foci are seen in cells pretreated with both ras- and myc-containing DNA (bottom frame). The transformed cells produced similar transformed cells when repleated and when injected into whole animals produce tumors with a much higher frequency than normal cells. 

One of the major problems in establishing cultures of epithelial cells is the overgrowth of these cells by the faster growing fibroblasts and serum-free media have been devised which do not permit fibroblast growth, thus allowing cultures of mouse kidney epithelial cells to be obtained (Taub et al., 1979 Taub and Sato, 1980) (Fig. 

The term myeloproliferative disorders has been applied to all those conditions which are characterized by proliferation of cells in bone marrow or in other sites of extramedullary blood formation. The overgrowth is self-perpetuating and involves one or more lines of bone marrow elements (myelocytic, erythrocytic, megakaryocytic) and cells like fibroblasts derived from the reticulum. We have already mentioned some of these conditions, for example, chronic granulocytic leukemia and myeloid metaplasia, in connection with our discussion on the relationship between serum acid phosphatase and the platelet count. 

Colvin JS, Bohne BA, Harding GW, McEwen DG, Ornitz DM. Skeletal overgrowth and deafness in mice lacking fibroblast growth factor receptor 3, Nat Genet 1996 12 390-7. 

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