Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor promotes the survival and morphologic differentiation of Purkinje cells.

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.92.20.9092
• Publication Date: 2006-06-02T00:53:16Z
• Authors: H T Mount; D O Dean; J Alberch; C F Dreyfus; I B Black
• Keywords: Calbindins; 0303 health sciences; Cell Survival; Cell Differentiation; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Embryo, Mammalian; Recombinant Proteins; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Kinetics; Purkinje Cells; 03 medical and health sciences; S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; Cerebellum; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; Animals; Humans; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Nerve Growth Factors; Cells, Cultured

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) promotes survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons and motoneurons. Expression GDNF mRNA in cerebellum raises the possibility that cells within this structure might also respond to GDNF. To examine potential trophic activities GDNF, dissociated cultures gestational day 18 rat were grown for < or = 21 days presence factor. increased Purkinje number without affecting overall glial cells. A maximal response (50% above control) was elicited with at 1 pg/ml. Effects on differentiation examined by scoring morphologic maturation treated control cultures. proportion displayed relatively mature morphologies, characterized dendritic thickening development spines filopodial extensions. Morphologic neuronal population unaffected. In sum, our data indicate is a potent cells, efferent cerebellar cortex. Together its other actions, these findings raise be critical multiple loci circuits motor function.