@article{DohrmannEdgarSendtneretal.1986,
  author    = {Dohrmann, Ulrike and Edgar, David and Sendtner, Michael and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Muscle-derived factors that support survival and promote fiber outgrowth from embryonic chick spinal motor neurons in culture},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-72862},
  year      = {1986},
  abstract  = {The purpose of the experiments reported is to provide an unambiguous demonstration that embryonie skeletal muscle contains factors that act directly on embryonie spinal motor neurons both to support their survival and to stimulate the outgrowth of neurites. Cells of lumbar and brachial ventral spinal cords from 6-day-old chick embryos were separated by centrifugation in a two-step metrizamide gradient, and a motor neuron enriched fraction was obtained. Motor neurons were identified by retrogradely labeling with rhodamine isothiocyanate, and were enriched fourfold in the motor neuron fraction relative to unfractionated cells. In culture, the isolated motor neurons died within 3-4 days unless they were supplemented with embryonie chick skeletal muscle extract. Two functionally distinct entities separable by ammonium sulfate precipitation were responsible for the effects of muscle extracts on motor neurons. The 0-25\% ammonium sulfate precipitate contained molecules that alone bad no effect on neuronal survival but when bound to polyornithine-coated culture substrata, stimulated neurite outgrowth and potentiated the survival activity present in muscle. Most of this activity was due to a laminin-like molecule being immunoprecipitated with antisera against laminin, and immunoblotting demonstrated the presence of both the A and B chains of laminin. A long-term survival activity resided in the 25-70\% ammonium sulfate fraction, and its apparent total and specific activities were strongly dependent on the culture substrate. In contrast to the motor neurons, the cells from the other metrizamide fraction (including neuronal cells) could be kept in culture for a prolonged time without addition of exogenous factor(s).},
  subject      = {Nervenzelle},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SendtnerGnahnWakadeetal.1988,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and Gnahn, H. and Wakade, A. and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Is activation of the Na\(^+\)K\(^+\) pump necessary for NGF-mediated neuronal survival?},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-42610},
  year      = {1988},
  abstract  = {The ability of nerve growth factor to cause rapid activation of the Na+K+ pump of its responsive cells was examined by measuring the uptake of 86Rb+. A significant increase in 86Rb+ uptake in Ea chick dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons after NGF treatment was seen only if the cells had been damaged during the preparation procedure. Such damaged cells could not survive in culture in the presence of NGF, and undamaged cells that did survive in response to NGF exhibited no increased 86Rb+ uptake rate. Furthermore, cultured calf adrenal medullary cells did not show an increase in 86Rb+ uptake after treatment with NGF, although these cells respond to NGF with an increased synthesis of catecholaminergic enzymes. These results are incompatible with the hypothesis that the mechanism of action of NGF that promotes neuronal survival and enzyme induction results from an initial stimulation of the Na+K+ pump.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StoeckliLottspeichSendtneretal.1989,
  author    = {St{\"o}ckli, K. A. and Lottspeich, F. and Sendtner, Michael and Masiakowski, P. and Carroll, Patrick and G{\"o}tz, Rudolf and Lindholm, D. and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Molecular cloning, expression and regional distribution of rat ciliary neurotrophic factor},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-34229},
  year      = {1989},
  abstract  = {CILIARY neurotrophic factor (CNTF) was originally characterized as a survival factor for chick ciliary neurons in vitro. More recently, it was shown to promote the survival of a variety of otherneuronal cell types and to affect the differentiation of E7 chick sympathetic neurons by inhibiting their proliferation and by inducing the expression of yasoactiYe intestinal peptide immunoreactiyity (VIP-IR). In cultures of dissociated sympathetic neurons from newborn rats, CNTF induces cholinergic differentiation as shown by increased levels of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SendtnerKreutzbergThoenen1990,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and Kreutzberg, Georg W. and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) prevents the degeneration of motor neurons after axotomy},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-32637},
  year      = {1990},
  abstract  = {The period of natural cell death in the development of rodent motor neurons is followed by a period of sensitivity to axonal injury1-3. In the rat this early postnatal period of vulnerability coincides with that of very low ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) levels in the sciatic nerve before CNTF increases to the high, adult levels4. The developmental time course of CNTF expression, its regional tissue distribution and its cytosolic localization (as suggested by its primary structure)4*5 favour a role for CNTF as a lesion factor rather than a target-derived neurotrophic molecule like nerve growth factor. Nevertheless CNTF exhibits neurotrophic activity in vitro on different populations of embryonic neurons6. To determine whether the vulnerability of motor neurons to axotomy in the early postnatal phase is due to insufficient availability of CNTF, we transected the axons of newborn rat motor neurons and demonstrated that iocal application of CNTF prevents the degeneration of the corresponding cell bodies.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ArakawaSendtnerThoenen1990,
  author    = {Arakawa, Yoshihiro and Sendtner, Michael and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Survival effect of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on chick embryonic motoneurons in culture: comparison with other neurotrophic factors and cytokines},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-31718},
  year      = {1990},
  abstract  = {No abstract available},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{StoeckliLililienNaeherNoeetal.1991,
  author    = {St{\"o}ckli, K. A. and Lililien, L. E. and N{\"a}her- No{\´e}, M. and Breitfeld, G. and Hughes, Richard A. and Raff, M. C. and Thoenen, Hans and Sendtner, Michael},
  title     = {Regional distribution, developmental changes, and cellular localization of CNTF-mRNA and protein in the rat brain},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-31172},
  year      = {1991},
  abstract  = {Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a potent survival molecule for a variety of embryonic neurons in culture. The developmental expression of CNTF occurs clearly after the time period of the physiological cell death of CNTF-responsive neurons. This, together with the sites of expression, excludes CNTF as a target-derived neuronal survival factor, at least in rodents. However, CNTF also participates in the induction of type 2 astrocyte differentiation in vitro. Here we demonstrate that the time course of the expression of CNTF-mRNA and protein in the rat optic nerve (as evaluated by quantitative Northern blot analysis and biological activity, respectively) is compatible with such a glial differentiation function of CNTF in vivo. We also show that the type 2 astrocyte-inducing- activity previously demonstrated in optic nerve extract can be precipitated by an antiserum against CNTF. Immunohistochemical analysis of astrocytes in vitro and in vivo demonstrates that the expression of CNTF is confined to a subpopulation of type 1 astrocytes. The olfactory bulb of adult rats has comparably high levels of CNTF to the optic nerve, and here again, CNTF-immunoreactivity is localized in a subpopulation of astrocytes. However, the postnatal expression of CNTF in the olfactory bulb occurs later than in the optic nerve. In other brain regions both CNTF-mRNA and protein levels are much lower.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{SendtnerArakawaStoecklietal.1991,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and Arakawa, Yoshihiro and St{\"o}ckli, Kurt A. and Kreutzberg, Georg W. and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Effect of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) on motoneuron survival},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-33048},
  year      = {1991},
  abstract  = {We have demonstrated that the extensive degeneration of motoneurons in the rat facial nucleus after transection of the facial nerve in newborn rats can be prevented by local ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) administration. CNTF differs distinctly from known neurotrophic molecules such as NGF, BDNF and NT-3 in both its molecular characteristics (CNTF is a cytosolic rather than a secretory molecule) and its broad spectrum of biological activities. CNTF is expressed selectively by Schwann cells and astrocytes of the peripheral and central nervous system, respectively, but not by target tissues of the great variety of CNTF -responsive neurons. CNTF mRNA is not detectable by Northern blot or PCR analysis during embryonic development and immediately after birth. However, during the second post-natal week, a more than 30-fold increase in CNTF mRNA and pro tein occurs in the sciatic nerve. Since the period of low CNTF levels in peripheral nerves coincides with that of high vulnerability of motoneurons (i.e. axonallesion results in degeneration of motoneuron cell bodies), insufficient availability of CNTF may be the reason for the rate of lesioninduced cell death of early post-natal motoneurons. Highly enriched embryonic chick motoneurons in culture are supported at survival rates higher than 60\% by CNTF, even in single cell cultures, indicating that CNTF acts directly on motoneurons. In contrast to CNTF, the members of the neurotrophin gene family (NGF, BDNF and NT-3) do not support the survival of motoneurons in culture. However, aFGF and bFGF show distinct survival activities which are additive to those of CNTF, resulting in the survival of virtually all motoneurons cultured in the presence of CNTF and bFGF.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SendtnerStoeckliThoenen1992,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and St{\"o}ckli, K. A. and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Synthesis and localization of ciliary neurotrophic factor in the sciatic nerve of the adult rat after lesion and during regeneration},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-31738},
  year      = {1992},
  abstract  = {Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is expressed in high quantities in Schwann cells of peripheral nerves during postnatal development of the rat. The absence of a hydrophobic leader sequence and the immunohistochemical localization of CNTF within the cytoplasm of these cells indicate that the factor might not be available to responsive neurons under physiological conditions. However, CNTF supports the survival of a variety of embryonic neurons, including spinal motoneurons in culture. Moreover we have recently demonstrated that the exogenous application of CNTF protein to the lesioned facial nerve of the newborn rat rescued these motoneurons from cell death. These results indicate that CNTF might indeed play a major role in assisting the survival of lesioned neurons in the adult peripheral nervous system. Here we demonstrate that the CNTF mRNA and protein levels and the manner in which they are regulated are compatible with such a function in lesioned peripheral neurons. In particular, immunohistochemical analysis showed significant quantities of CNTF at extracellular sites after sciatic nerve lesion. Western blots and determination of CNTF biological activity of the same nerve segments indicate that extracellular CNTF seems to be biologically active. After nerve lesion CNTF mRNA levels were reduced to <5 \% in distal regions of the sciatic nerve whereas CNTF bioactivity decreased to only one third of the original before-lesion levels. A gradual reincrease in Schwann cells occurred concomitant with regeneration.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SendtnerStoeckliThoenenetal.1992,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and St{\"o}ckli, Kurt A. and Thoenen, Hans and Schmalbruch, H. and Carroll, P. and Kreutzberg, Georg W.},
  title     = {Ciliary neurotrophic factor prevents the degeneration of motor neurons in mouse mutant progressive motor neuronopathy},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-42563},
  year      = {1992},
  abstract  = {CILIARY neurotrophic factor (CNTF) supports the survival of embryonic motor neurons in vitro and in vivo and prevents lesion-mediated degeneration of rat motor neuron~ during early post-natal stages. Here we report that CNTF greatly reduces all the functional and morphological changes in pmnlpmn mice5, an autosomal recessive mutant leading to progressive caudo-cranial motor neuron degeneration. The first manifestations of progressive motor neuronopathy in homozygous pmnl pmn mice become apparent in the hind limbs at the end of the third post-natal week and all the mice die up to 6 or 7 weeks after birth from respiratory paralysis. Treatment with CNTF prolongs- survival- and greatly Impoves motor function of these mice. Moreover, morphological manifestations, such as loss of motor axons in the phrenic nerve and degeneration of facial motor neurons, were greatly reduced by CNTF, although the treatment did not start until the first symptoms of the disease had already become apparent and substantial degenerative changes were already present. The protective and restorative effects of CNTF in this mouse mutant give new perspectives for the treatment of human degenerative motor neuron diseases with CNTF.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SendtnerThoenenHoltmannetal.1992,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and Thoenen, Hans and Holtmann, B. and Kohlbeck, R. and Barde, Y.-A.},
  title     = {Brain-derived neurotrophic factor prevents the death of motoneurons in newborn rats after nerve section},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-42673},
  year      = {1992},
  abstract  = {Motoneurons innervating the skeletal musculature were among the first neurons shown to require the presence of their target cells to develop appropriatelyl,2. But the characterization of molecules allowing motoneuron survival has been difficult. Ciliary neurotrophic factor prevents the death of motoneurons3-6, but its gene is not expressed during development7. Although the presence of a neurotrophin receptor on developing motoneurons8-1O has suggested a role for neurotrophins, none could be shown to promote motoneuron survival in vitro3. We report here that brainderived neurotrophic factor can prevent the death of axotomized motoneurons in newborn rats, suggesting a role for this neurotrophin for motoneuron survival in vivo.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SendtnerStoeckliCarrolletal.1992,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and St{\"o}ckli, Kurt A. and Carroll, Patrick and Kreutzberg, Georg W. and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {More on motor neurons},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-42598},
  year      = {1992},
  abstract  = {No abstract available},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MasuWolfHoltmannetal.1993,
  author    = {Masu, Yasuo and Wolf, Eckhard and Holtmann, Bettina and Sendtner, Michael and Brem, Gottfried and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Disruption of the CNTF gene results in motor neuron degeneration},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-33038},
  year      = {1993},
  abstract  = {CNTF is a cytosolic molecule expressed postnatally in myelinating Schwann cells and in a subpopulation of astrocytes. Although CNTF administration prevents lesion-mediated and genetically determined motor neuron degeneration, its physiological function remained elusive. Here it is reported that abolition of CNTF gene expression by homologous recombination results in a progressive atrophy and loss of motor neurons in adult mice, which is functionally reflected by a small but significant reduction in muscle strength.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{ThoenenHughesSendtner1993,
  author    = {Thoenen, Hans and Hughes, Richard A. and Sendtner, Michael},
  title     = {Trophic support of motoneurons: physiological, pathophysiological, and therapeutic implications.},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-31746},
  year      = {1993},
  abstract  = {No abstract available},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{CarrollSendtnerMeyeretal.1993,
  author    = {Carroll, Patrick and Sendtner, Michael and Meyer, Michael and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Rat ciliary neurothrophic factor (CNTF): gene structure and regulation of mRNA levels in glial cell cultures.},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-31763},
  year      = {1993},
  abstract  = {The structure of the rat ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) gene and the regulation ofCNTF mRNA levels in cultured glial cells were investigated. The rat mRNA is encoded by a simple two-exon transcription unit. Sequence analysis of the region upstream of the transcription start-site did not reveal a typical TATA-box consensus sequence. Low levels of CNTF mRNA were detected in cultured Schwann cells, and CNTF mRNA was not increased by a variety of treatments. Three-week-old astrocyteenriched cell cultures from new-born rat brain contained easily detectable CNTF mRNA. In astrocyte-enriched cultures, upregulation of CNTF mRNA levels was observed after treatment with IFN-gamma. CNTF mRNA levels were down-regulated in these cells by treatments that elevate intracellular cyclic AMP and by members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. The implications of these results for potential in vivo functions of CNTF are discussed.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HughesSendtnerGoldfarbetal.1993,
  author    = {Hughes, Richard A. and Sendtner, Michael and Goldfarb, Mitchell and Lindholm, Dan and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Evidence that fibroblast growth factor 5 is a major muscle-derived survival factor for cultured spinal motoneurons},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-42588},
  year      = {1993},
  abstract  = {We examined the potential role of fibroblast growth factor 5 (FGF-5) as a target-derived trophic factor for spinal motoneurons. Northern analysis of total RNA from rat skeletal muscle revealed an FGF-5 mRNA transcript both during the period of embryonic motoneuron death and in the adult. Recombinant human FGF-5 supported the survival of highly enriched cultures of embryonic chick motoneurons. Significant proportions of the motoneuron survival activity of rat skeletal muscle extracts could be immunoprecipitated using an antiserum to FGF-5. The immunoprecipitable activity was present in soluble and matrix-bound forms in embryonic muscle, but bound exclusively to the extracellular matrix in adult muscle. These results, along with the secretory nature of FGF-5, suggest that FGF-5 may act as a target-derived trophic factor for motoneurons.},
  language  = {en}
}
@incollection{ThoenenHughesSendtner1993,
  author    = {Thoenen, Hans and Hughes, Richard A. and Sendtner, Michael},
  title     = {Towards a comprehensive understanding of the trophic support of motoneurons},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-31117},
  publisher      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {1993},
  abstract  = {Motoneurons played an essential role in establishing the concept of target-mediated support of innervating neurons. However, it took several decades until molecules were identined which trophically support motoneurons in vitro and in vivo. The most potent molecule identined so far is ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). It is expressed as a cytosolic molecule in myelinating Schwann cells rather than in skeletal muscle in the postnatal period and therefore does not qualify as a target-derived neurotrophic factor regulating motoneuron survival during embryonic development. However, the inactivation of CNTF by gene targeting experiments results in progressive atrophy and degeneration of motoneurons, demonstrating that CNTF plays an essential role as a maintenance factor for motoneurons postnatally. Secretory molecules which are expressed in skeletal muscle during embryonic development and which support motoneurons in culture and partially also in vivo include members of the NGF gene family (BDNF, NT-3, NT-4/S) , FGF-S, IGF-I, and UF. The evaluation of the physiological importance of these molecules is under investigation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SendtnerThoenenHughes1993,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and Thoenen, Hans and Hughes, R. A.},
  title     = {Members of several gene families influence survival of rat motoneurons in vitro and in vivo},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-42652},
  year      = {1993},
  abstract  = {The survival and functional maintenance of spinal motoneurons, both during the period of developmental cell death and in adulthood, have been shown to be dependent on trophic factors. In vitro experiments have previously been used to identify several survival factors for motoneurons, including CNTF, UF, and members of the neurotrophin, FGF, and IGF gene families. Some of these factors have also been shown to be active in vivo, either on chick motoneurons during embryonic development or on lesioned facial and spinal motoneurons of the newborn rat. Here we demonstrate that lesioned newborn rat facial motoneurons can be rescued by NT-4/5, IGF-I, and UF. Furthermore, in contrast to chick motoneurons, the survival of isolated embryonic rat motoneurons can be maintained by the neurotrophins BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4/5. IGF-I and FGF-5 were also active in this system, each supporting more than 50\% of the originally plated neurons. The responsiveness of motoneurons to multiple factors in vitro and in vivo suggests that motoneuron survival and function are regulated by the coordinated actions of members of different gene families.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SendtnerThoenen1994,
  author    = {Sendtner, Michael and Thoenen, Hans},
  title     = {Oxidative stress and motorneuron disease},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-42684},
  year      = {1994},
  abstract  = {Transgenic mice carrying mutated Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase genes provide insights into the pathogenesis of human motorneuron diseases and may be useful as models in the development and testing of therapies.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{DittrichThoenenSendtner1994,
  author    = {Dittrich, Falk and Thoenen, Hans and Sendtner, Michael},
  title     = {Ciliary neurotrophic factor: pharmacokinetics and acute-phase response in rat},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-42639},
  year      = {1994},
  abstract  = {No abstract available},
  language  = {en}
}