Mesoderm induction and blood island formation by angiogenic growth factors and embryonic inducing factors

Factors which induce mesoderm, including endothelium lined cavities and primitive blood cells in omnipotent amphibian ectoderm, have been isolated from different sources. Recently it was shown that angiogenic factors, which belong to the protein families of the heparin binding growth factors (acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor) and the transforming growth factors (TGF-β 1 and -β 2), also induce mesodermal tissues in amphibian ectoderm. In Triturus ectoderm, capillary like endothelial networks are induced preferentially by the transforming growth factors. The relationship between growth factors and inducing fators is discussed.