Disruption of the CNTF gene results in motor neuron degeneration.

Nature ·Vol. 365 ·No. 6441 ·1993-09-02 ·Pages 27-32

Masu Y, Wolf E, Holtmann B, Sendtner M, Brem G, Thoenen H

Abstract

CNTF is a cytosolic molecule expressed postnatally in myelinating Schwann cells and in a subpopulation of astrocytes. Although CNTF administration prevents lesion-mediated and genetically determined motor neuron degeneration, its physiological function remained elusive. Here it is reported that abolition of CNTF gene expression by homologous recombination results in a progressive atrophy and loss of motor neurons in adult mice, which is functionally reflected by a small but significant reduction in muscle strength.

Related Genes

CNTF

MeSH Terms

Aging/physiology Animals Base Sequence Cells, Cultured Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Cloning, Molecular DNA, Single-Stranded Gene Expression Regulation Male Mice Mice, Inbred C57BL Mice, Mutant Strains Molecular Sequence Data Motor Neurons/cytology,physiology Muscles/physiopathology Nerve Degeneration Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics,physiology Spinal Cord/cytology,embryology,growth & development

Chemicals

Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor DNA, Single-Stranded Nerve Tissue Proteins

Authors & Affiliations

6 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Masu Y

Abteilung Neurochemie, Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie, Martinsried, Germany.

Wolf E

Holtmann B

Sendtner M

Brem G

Thoenen H

Article Info

Journal

Nature

Abbr.

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

DOI

10.1038/365027a0

Published

1993-09-02

Pages

27-32

Language

English

Region

England

NLM ID

0410462

Subset

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/365027a0 View journal details

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Disruption of the CNTF gene results in motor neuron degeneration.

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