title: Upregulation of ciliary neurotrophic factor in reactive Müller cells in the rat retina following optic nerve transection.
abstract: We have investigated the expression and cellular localization of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) in the rat retina following optic nerve transection. In the normal retina, CNTF immunoreactivity was restricted to profiles in the ganglion cell layer. Following optic nerve transection, immunoreactivity appeared in Müller cell somata and processes and its intensity increased between three and seven days post-lesion. Quantitative evaluation by immunoblotting confirmed that CNTF expression increased continuously up to 7 days after optic nerve transection (to 430% of control levels), but decreased again to 250% of controls at 4 weeks post-lesion. Our findings suggest that CNTF supplied by Müller cells may play a protective role for axotomized ganglion cells in the rat retina.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Socho-gu, 137-701, Seoul, South Korea. mhchun@cmc.cuk.ac.kr
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D020934:Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor