Chick endogenous lectin enhances chondrogenesis of cultured chick limb bud cells

We have studied the effect of β- d-galactoside-specific lectin purified from 14-day-old chick embryos on the differentiation of the mesenchymal cells dissociated from the limb buds of stage 24 chick embryos, using the micro-mass culture method described previously. When the cells were incubated with the lectin during the initial 12 hr of culture, cell proliferation became slightly activated. The lectin-treated cells formed a greater number of cartilage nodules and incorporated about twice as much as [ 35S]sulfate per cell than the control cultures. The results of this study show that the chick endogenous lectin promotes cartilage differentiation in vitro and that endogenous lectin may possibly be involved in chondrogenesis in vivo.