Striatal GDNF Neurons Chemoattract RET-Positive Dopamine Axons at Seven Times Farther Distance Than Medium Spiny Neurons.

ABSTRACT: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is among the strongest dopamine neuron function- and survival-promoting factors known. Due to this reason, it has clinical relevance in dopamine disorders such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. In the striatum, GDNF is exclusively expressed in interneurons, which make up only about 0.6% of striatal cells. Despite clinical significance, histological analysis of striatal GDNF system arborization and relevance to incoming dopamine axons, which bear its receptor RET, has remained enigmatic. This is mainly due to the lack of antibodies able to visualize GDNF- and RET-positive cellular processes; here, we overcome this problem by using knock-in marker alleles. We find that GDNF neurons chemoattract RET+ axons at least seven times farther

SUBMITTER: Montano-Rodriguez AR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11202212 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature