A quantitative in vitro study of fibroblast and endothelial cell migration in response to serum and wound fluid.

Chemoattractant activity for irradiated and nonirradiated rabbit skin fibroblast and bovine aortic arch endothelial cells was assayed in rabbit wound fluid and sera using a modification of the agarose well method originally described for polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Both serum and wound fluid contained chemoattractants for fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Fibroblast migration was decreased by 70 to 80% when the serum or wound fluid was heated to 56 degrees C for 30 min while endothelial cell migration was reduced by 50 to 60%. Platelet-poor plasma-derived serum had no directive effect on the migration of either cell type.