title: Specific function of B-Raf in mediating survival of embryonic motoneurons and sensory neurons.
abstract: Embryonic sensory and motoneurons depend on neurotrophic factors for survival. Here we show that their survival requires B-Raf, which, in this function, cannot be substituted by C-Raf. Sensory and motoneurons from b-raf-deficient mice do not respond to neurotrophic factors for their survival. However, these primary neurons can be rescued by transfection of a b-raf expression plasmid. In contrast, c-raf-deficient neurons survive in response to neurotrophic factors, similarly to neurons from wild-type mice. This points to an essential and specific function of B-Raf in mediating survival of sensory and motoneurons during development.
authors.affiliation: Klinische Forschergruppe Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurology, University of Wuerzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str.11, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Troppmair
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Holtmann
authors.forename: U R
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sendtner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D051379:Mice; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D019908:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf