Role of the neurotrophic factors BDNF and NGF in the commitment of pluripotent neural crest cells.
Since trophic factors are increasingly recognized as playing a role in some decision-making steps during development, the influence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) on the commitment of pluripotent neural crest cells was investigated by in vitro clonal analysis. BDNF caused an increase of up to 21-fold in the number of sensory neuron precursors per colony without a corresponding increase in the total number of cells. By contrast, BDNF treatment caused an equivalent decrease in the number of undifferentiated cells per colony. The data suggest that BDNF, but not NGF, directs pluripotent neural crest cells to differentiate along the primary sensory neuron lineage.
Sieber-Blum
M
M
Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D011784:Quail; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins