TY  - CHAP
A1  - Thoenen, Hans
A1  - Hughes, Richard A.
A1  - Sendtner, Michael
T1  - Towards a comprehensive understanding of the trophic support of motoneurons
N2  - 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.
KW  - neurotrophic molecules
KW  - CNTF
KW  - gene targeting
KW  - NGF gene family
KW  - FGF-5
KW  - lIF
KW  - IGF-I
Y1  - 1993
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-31117
ER  -