The success of early embryonic development depends on oocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation. We have investigated whether glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) affects the in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine oocytes and their subsequent ability to sustain preimplantation embryo development. GDNF and both its coreceptors, GDNF family receptor alpha-1 (GFR alpha-1) and the rearr...

Glial-Cell-Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) is the major mesenchyme-derived regulator of ureteric budding and branching during nephrogenesis. The ligand activates on the ureteric bud epithelium a receptor complex composed of Ret and GFRalpha1. The upstream regulators of the GDNF receptors are poorly known. A Notch ligand, Jagged1 (Jag1), co-localises with GDNF and its receptors during ea...

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was first characterized as a survival-promoting molecule for dopaminergic neurons (DANs). Afterwards, other cells were also discovered to respond to GDNF not only as a survival factor but also as a protein supporting other cellular functions, such as proliferation, differentiation, maturation, neurite outgrowth and other phenomena that have bee...

Female fertility is determined in part by the size and development of the primordial follicle pool. The current study investigates the role of glial cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the regulation of primordial follicle development in the ovary. Ovaries from 4-day-old female rat pups were maintained in organ culture for 10 days in the absence (control) or presence of GDNF or kit ...

Adipose tissue stroma contains a population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) promote new blood vessel formation and stabilization. These adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) promote de novo formation of vascular structures in vitro. We investigated the angiogenic factors secreted by ASC and discovered that glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a key mediator for endothelial cell network format...

We have previously shown that the neurotrophic effect of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in vitro and in vivo requires the presence of transforming growth factor (TGF)beta. Using primary neurons (chick E8 ciliary) we show that the combination of GDNF plus TGFbeta promotes survival, whereas the single factors do not. This cooperative effect is inhibited by blocking the extrace...

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)-dependent activation of the tyrosine kinase receptor RET is necessary for kidney and enteric neuron development, and mutations in RET are associated with human diseases. Activation of RET by GDNF has been shown to require an accessory component, GDNFR-alpha (RETL1). We report the isolation and characterization of rat and human cDNAs for a novel...

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) binds to the GDNF family co-receptor alpha1 (GFRalpha1) and activates RET receptor tyrosine kinase. GFRalpha1 has a putative domain structure of three homologous cysteine-rich domains, where domains 2 and 3 make up a central domain responsible for GDNF binding. We report here the 1.8 A crystal structure of GFRalpha1 domain 3 showing a new prote...

Overexpression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in embryonic muscle fibers causes dramatic hyperinnervation of neuromuscular junctions. However, it is not known whether GDNF induces the extra innervation by regulation of axonal branching and/or synaptic maintenance. To address this issue, high levels of circulating GDNF were established by administering subcutaneous injecti...

We recently showed that the up-regulation of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) pathway in the midbrain, is the molecular mechanism by which the putative anti-addiction drug Ibogaine mediates its desirable action of reducing alcohol consumption. Human reports and studies in rodents have shown that a single administration of Ibogaine results in a long-lasting reduction of dru...