Activation of initial wound healing responses in rat corneas in organ culture by mesodermal growth factor.

In organ culture, mesodermal growth factor (MGF) from mouse submaxillary glands stimulates fibroblast formation, mitosis, and migration of cells into the dead-cell zone adjacent to the wound edge of rat corneal buttons. A classic dose-response relationship between the width of the stromal fibroblast zone and the dose of MGF suggests that fibroblast zone width may be used as a measure for screening agents which influence the initial stages of corneal wound healing.