Expression of Nerve Growth Factor, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Neurotrophin-3 mRNAs in Human Cortical Xenografts

摘要

Trophic factors play an important role in thedevelopment of neurons and glia. In order tostudy the involvement of neurotrophins inhuman cortical development, human fetalparietal cortical tissue, obtained after earlyelective abortions, was transplanted to corticalcavities in immunosuppressed rats. Using in situhybridization it was demonstrated that nervegrowth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factorand neurotrophin-3 mRNAs are expressed indeveloping human cortical xenografts. We concludethat neurotrophins may play a role inhuman cortical development and rat-derivedastroglial cells could be involved in establishingreciprocal “permissive sites”.