Inventors:
Ningning Miao - Palo Alto CA, US
Monica Wang - Marblehead MA, US
Nagesh Mahanthappa - Cambridge MA, US
Ping Jin - Boston MA, US
Kevin Pang - Belmont MA, US
International Classification:
C12Q 1/68, C07H 21/04, C12P 21/06, C07K 14/47, A61K 31/47, C07K 16/18, A61K 48/00
US Classification:
424093200, 514012000, 514044000, 514310000, 530350000, 435006000, 435069100, 435320100, 435325000, 536023500, 977802000
Abstract:
It is shown here that hedgehog proteins possess novel activities beyond phenotype specification. Using cultures derived from the embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) rat ventral mesencephalon, we show that hedgehog is also trophic for dopaminergic neurons. Interestingly, hedgehog not only promotes dopaminergic neuron survival, but also promotes the survival of midbrain GABA-immunoreactive (GABA-ir) neurons.