title: Expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the developing human fetal brain.
abstract: GDNF expression was examined immunocytochemically in developing human fetal brains obtained from aborted fetuses ranging from 7 to 39 weeks in gestational age. At 7-8 weeks, strong immunoreactivity was noted within radial glial processes, glia limitans and choroid plexus of the telencephalic vesicle. By 10 weeks, ependymal cells, primitive matrix cells and early developing cortical plate neurons showed positive staining. By 15-16 weeks, migrating neurons in the subventricular and intermediate zones and in the cortical plate were strongly positive for GDNF. The glia limitans of the cerebral cortex and subependymal astrocytes remained positive at this time. As fetal age increased, GDNF expression shifted to neurons and glial cells in the deeper structures of the brain. The most prominent GDNF staining was observed in the cytoplasm and dendrites of Purkinje cells of the cerebellum by 25 weeks and thereafter. Pyramidal neurons of the CA1 region and granule cells of the dentate fascia of the hippocampus, neurons of the entorhinal cortex, and scattered neurons within the brain stem, medulla and spinal cord all showed strong GDNF staining by 25-35 weeks. Widespread GDNF expression in neuronal and non-neuronal cells with distinct developmental shifts suggests that GDNF may play a critical role in the survival, differentiation and maintenance of neurons at different stages of development in the developing human fetal brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, and Ewha Medical Research Center, Seoul, South Korea.heasoo@unitel.co.kr
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000378:metabolism; D014781:Viscera / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C495039:GDNF protein, human; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins; D014404:Tubulin; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila