ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:The preparation of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been clinical y used in the repair of ocular surface trauma. However, the concentration of these growth factors that achieve the maximal healing effect and the comparison of two kinds of growth factors on promoting wound healing are stil controversial. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of rhEGF and bFGF on the cloning of human corneal epithelial cells. METHODS:The human corneal epithelial cells cultured in vitro were interfered with rhEGF and bFGF under different concentrations. The proliferation of human corneal epithelial cells was detected using MTT assay after 3, 5, 7 days of growth factors treatment. Plate clone formation assay was applied to observe the morphology of cellclone and analyze clone formation rate of human corneal epithelial cells. RESULTS and CONCLUSION:MTT value shows that 10μg/L rhEGF and 10μg/L bFGF on day 5 were the most powerful concentration. The clone formation rate of human corneal epithelial cells after treated with 10μg/L rhEGF was higher than that with 10μg/L bFGF (P=0.02). The results confirmed that both rhEGF and bFGF could promote the proliferation and increase clone formation ability of human corneal epithelial cells. 10μg/L rhEGF for 5 days achieves the best effect on promoting clone formation of human corneal epithelium cells.