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Neurotrophins

BDNF – Second Best?

Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is the second best characterized neurotrophin (following NGF) and acts as a key contributor to …

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Novel Neurotrophic Factors

Heparin – binding growth factors have been implicated in central nervous system development, regeneration and pathology. Typical members of this family of secreted cytokines are basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (human FGF-basic), Midkine and Pleiotrophin.

human Midkine, a 13 kDa heparin-binding growth factor with 50% sequence identity to Pleiotrophin is the product of a retinoic acid responsive gene and is a developmental regulated, highly conserved, neurotrophic factorwhich induces neurite extension3 ,4 and neuronal survival5. human Pleiotrophin, an 18 kDa, heparin–binding growth – associated molecule (HB-GAM,HBGF-8)6 is also a developmentally regulated neurotrophin which promotes neurite out growth7, 8, axonal guidance9 and

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Role of Neurotrophins in Synapse Formation

The neurotrophins (“neuro” means nerve and “trophe” means nutrient)1 are a family of soluble, basic growth factors which regulate neuronal development, maintenance, survival and death in the central and peripheral nervous systems2. They include NGF, the first member of the family to be discovered, BDNF, NT3 and NT4/5. Their actions are mediated by two types of receptors: the Trk family, which matches each neurotrophin to its own receptor3, and p75NTR which is a universal neurotrophin receptor4.

The neurotrophins have been shown to affect dendritic and axonal growth5, efficacy of synaptic transmission6. maturation of synaptic contacts, density of synaptic

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