BDNF in the development of the visual system of Xenopus

doi:10.1016/0896-6273(94)90328-X

Neuron

Volume 12, Issue 4, April 1994, Pages 747-761

https://doi.org/10.1016/0896-6273(94)90328-X Get rights and content

Abstract

To explore the role of BDNF during Xenopus visual system development, the expression of BDNF and TrkB, as well as the effect of BDNF during retinal ganglion cell (RGC) development in culture, was examined. BDNF mRNA was found to be expressed in both the developing eye and tectum, peaking at stage $4546$ . The expression of BDNF coincided with RGC expression of full-length trkB transcripts, suggesting a functional role for BDNF. In culture, BDNF significantly increased the number of RGCs. The ability of BDNF to rescue differentiated RGCs that had projected to the tectum, the time course of the effect, and the lack of mitogenic response indicate that this neurotrophin promotes survival. The expression of BDNF and TrkB and the responsiveness of RGCs to BDNF coincide with retinal axon terminal arborization and patterning. Our results indicate that BDNF is a relevant neurotrophin for Xenopus RGC development and suggest that it plays a role during visual system patterning.

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Reduction in retrograde axonal transport of neurotrophic factors, such as BDNF, from the brain to the RGC in the retina has been suggested as a critical factor underlying RGC loss and optic nerve degeneration in glaucoma (Almasieh et al., 2012) (Fig. 1). BDNF is not only delivered retrogradely from the brain but within the retina as well, and it is produced by cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and the inner nuclear layer (Cohen-Cory and Fraser, 1994; Perez and Caminos, 1995). Retinal BDNF levels increase after optic nerve axotomy (Gao et al., 1997) as well as in experimental glaucoma (Guo et al., 2011; Rudzinski et al., 2004) In addition, there is early increase in BDNF mRNA levels early after ocular hypertension (Wang et al., 2010).
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Neuron

ArticleBDNF in the development of the visual system of Xenopus

Abstract

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Brain Res.

Purification of a new neurotrophic factor from mammalian brain

EMBO J.

Patterns of cell proliferation in the retina of the clawed frog during development

J. Comp. Neurol.

Effect of NGF on the suvival of rat retinal ganglion-cells following optic-nerve section

J. Neurosci.

Isolation of biologically active ribonucleic acid from sources enriched in ribonuclease

Biochemistry

Article
BDNF in the development of the visual system of Xenopus