Production in vitro by spinal cord of growth factor(s) acting on newt limb regeneration: influence of regeneration of the nerve fibers.

In order to approach the problem of regulation of growth factor(s) production during limb regeneration in newt, we co-cultivated spinal cord segments and blastemas. First we showed that, like the sensory supply, the spinal cord possesses size-dependent mitogenic capacities for limb blastemas. A 5-mm long spinal segment enhances radiolabelled thymidine incorporation to the same extent as spinal ganglia (1.6-fold). Second, we co-cultivated blastemas with spinal segments, the nerve fibers of which were previously stimulated to regenerate (= stimulated spinal segment) or not (= non-stimulated spinal segment). Only after a 24-h coculture, do stimulated spinal segments enhance thymidine incorporation in blastemas 2-fold more than non-stimulated spinal segments. Our results suggest that during limb regeneration brachial nerves produce more growth factor(s) when regrowing, inducing the proliferation of blastema cells which in return deliver a neuronotrophic factor acting on these nerves.