Neural stem cells (NSCs) are characterized by the ability of self‑renewal and capacity to proliferate and produce new nervous tissue. NSCs are capable of differentiating to three lineages of neural cells, including neurons, oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. Furthermore, hippocampal NSCs transplantation can improve the neurological deficits associated with expression of cytokines. Therefore, to c...

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working age in US and worldwide. Neurotrophins including nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) are known to be essential for growth, differentiation and survival of neurons in the developing and mature retina. Nevertheless, a growing body of evidence supports ...

In rodents, the adult subventricular zone (SVZ) generates neuroblasts which migrate to the olfactory bulb (OB) and differentiate into interneurons. Recent work suggests that the neurotrophin Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) can enhance adult SVZ neurogenesis, but the mechanism by which it acts is unknown. Here, we analyzed the role of BDNF and its receptor TrkB in adult SVZ neurogenesis...

Despite their sympathetic neuroblast origin, highly malignant neuroblastoma tumors and derived cell lines have no or low expression of the neurotrophin receptor genes, trkA and trkC. Expression of exogenous trkA in neuroblastoma cells restores their ability to differentiate in response to nerve growth factor (NGF). Here we show that stable expression of trkC in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells resul...

PURPOSE To clarify the expression of neurotrophins and their receptors in retinoblastoma (Rb) cells, to elucidate their potential role in the proliferation of neuroectodermal tumor cells, and to establish conditions for Rb cell differentiation. METHODS The Rb-derived cell line Y-79 was grown in serum-free suspension or monolayer culture. Proliferating and differentiated cells were isolated an...

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin that elicits neuronal survival and differentiation, synaptic transmission, and the modulation of synaptic plasticity. The biological actions of BDNF are mediated via two distinct receptors: the high-affinity tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) receptor and the low-affinity p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). Recent findings regarding th...

The Trk family of receptor tyrosine kinases and the p75 receptor (p75NTR) mediate the effects of neurotrophins on neuronal survival, differentiation and synaptic plasticity. The neurotrophin BDNF and its cognate receptor tyrosine kinase, TrkB.FL, are highly expressed in neurons of the central nervous system. At later stages in postnatal development the truncated TrkB splice variants (TrkB.T1, T...

Neurotrophins belonging to the class of growth factors and including nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5) are widely recognized as essential factors in the developing central nervous system (CNS). Neurotrophins are synthesized as precursor forms (proneurotrophins). Mature forms of neurotrophins exert their effec...

The development of cerebellar cortex is strongly impaired by thyroid hormone (T3) deficiency, leading to altered migration, differentiation, synaptogenesis, and survival of neurons. To determine whether alteration in the expression of neurotrophins and/or their receptors may contribute to these impairments, we first analyzed their expression using a sensitive RNAse protection assay and in situ ...

Previous work demonstrated an essential role for the atypical protein kinase C interacting protein, p62, in neurotrophin survival and differentiation signaling. Here we show that p62 interacts not only with TrkA but also with TrkB and TrkC, which are the primary receptors for brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3. The interaction of p62 with TrkA requires the kinase activity of T...