Effects of retinal growth factor and of the increase of the number of subcultures on sulfated glycosaminoglycans of bovine lens epithelial cells.

Sulfated glycosaminoglycans of cultured bovine lens epithelial cells grown in the presence and in the absence of a retinal growth factor were investigated comparatively. The newly formed [35S]sulfate-labeled glycosaminoglycans were analysed in the extra-, peri- and intracellular compartments of early (4--5th) and late 17--18 h) subcultures. The following results were obtained: (1) Cultured lens epithelial cells grown in the presence or in the absence of the growth factor synthesize chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfates and dermatan sulfate, with heparan sulfate as the main component, the pericellular compartments were particularly rich in heparan sulfate; (2) The distribution pattern of the glycosaminoglycans changes during successive subcultures; the proportion of heparan sulfate increases in the pericellular compartment, the dermatan sulfate to chondroitin sulfate ratio increases in all three compartments; (3) IN contrast to the drastic decrease in the fibronectin levels in the presence of growth factor in the early subcultures, only minor differences were found between the glycosaminoglycan patterns of the treated and non-treated cells.