GDNF: a glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor for midbrain dopaminergic neurons.
A potent neurotrophic factor that enhances survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons was purified and cloned. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a glycosylated, disulfide-bonded homodimer that is a distantly related member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily. In embryonic midbrain cultures, recombinant human GDNF promoted the survival and morphological differentiation of dopaminergic neurons and increased their high-affinity dopamine uptake. These effects were relatively specific; GDNF did not increase total neuron or astrocyte numbers nor did it increase transmitter uptake by gamma-aminobutyric-containing and serotonergic neurons. GDNF may have utility in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, which is marked by progressive degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons.[1]References
- GDNF: a glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor for midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Lin, L.F., Doherty, D.H., Lile, J.D., Bektesh, S., Collins, F. Science (1993) [Pubmed]
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