S* www.iak-neuro.uni-mainz.de *Note: Abstracts from Plenary Lectures are not included Symposium 2005 ́IAK Molecular & Cellular Neurobiology`

objective(s):althoughroutinely applied in assisted reproductive technology, human sperm cryopreservation is not a completely successful procedure. adverse effects of cryopreservation on the fertilization capacity, motility, morphology, and viability of spermatozoa have been proven; cryopreservation has also shown a role in sperm dna fragmentation and infertility. the post-thaw survival of sperm...

Aerobic exercise has been shown to counteract age-related neurological decrements that are associated with cognitive and physical impairments. However, the effects of resistance exercise on cognition, reaction, and neurotrophins are largely unknown. We examined changes in spatial awareness, visual and motor reaction, and circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in response to a resi...

BACKGROUND Growth factors such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have been shown to play a role in the healing process of nerve injury. Recent researches have also shown that oxytocin administration activates these growth factors of importance for the healing of nerve tissue. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of oxytocin on periph...

The survival of axotomized RGCs was increased by intravitreal NT-4/5 given by repeated injections or osmotic minipumps, but the effects were less complete than predicted. Compared to a single injection of the neurotrophin on day 0, second injections on days 3 or 7 only sustained an additional 10-20% of the RGCs on day 10. Minipumps augmented RGC survival up to 4-fold (50%) at 2 weeks but most R...

Neurotrophic growth factors, including nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), have well-established roles in promoting the innervation of target tissues, yet little is known about how the temporal and organ-specific expression of these factors is regulated. A new study reveals that NGF is a direct target of the well-characterized peptide factor endothelin-1 (ET-...