GDNF and bFGF are differentially involved in glial cell differentiation and neurite bundle formation in cultures from chick embryonic ciliary ganglia

• Published in: Neuroreport Vol. 14; no. 18; pp. 2343 - 2347
• Main Authors: Zamburlin, Pollyanna, Gilardino, Alessandra, Ariano, Paolo, Lovisolo, Davide, Distasi, Carla
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc 19-12-2003; Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cells, Cultured; Chick Embryo; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - pharmacology; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Ganglia - cytology; Ganglia - drug effects; Ganglia - physiology; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Nerve Growth Factors - pharmacology; Nerve Growth Factors - physiology; Neurites - drug effects; Neurites - physiology; Neuroglia - cytology; Neuroglia - drug effects; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Glial cell; Embryo; Neurite; Neuroglia; Basic fibroblast growth factor; In vitro; Aggregation; Neurotrophic factor; Vertebrata; Animal; Embryo culture; Glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor; Mitogen; Chicken; Aves; Differentiation
• ISSN: 0959-4965; 1473-558X
• DOI: 10.1097/00001756-200312190-00011

We have shown that the neurotrophic factors glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) exert different effects on glial cells in cultures from chick embryo ciliary ganglia. bFGF acts as a mitogen on glial cells, and induces their aggregation to neuronal bodies; after 48 h of culture no glial cells could be observed along neurites. GDNF has no proliferative role; in contrast, it promotes the expression of the differentiative marker O4 and the association of glial cell bodies to neurites to form robust bundles.