Enhancement of PDGF-BB mitogenic activity on human dermal fibroblasts by biospecific dextran derivatives.

Dextran derivatives are biosynthetic polyanionic polymers which exert some of the heparin properties such as regulating the activity of several heparin-binding growth factors. Based on a reproducible synthetic procedure, we have synthesized a new generation of dextran derivatives named dextran methylcarboxylate benzylamide sulfate (DMCBSu). Here we investigated the ability of a library of well-characterized DMCBSu to interact with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), which has essential roles during wound healing.