The prenatal development of @entity935 (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra (SN) is characterized by their birth, specification, and migration to their final positions. Their postnatal development is characterized by the establishment of contact and interactions between the SN and other neural nuclei, particularly the striatal target, by extension of axons, terminal differentiation, and synapse formation. In this postnatal context there is a natural cell death event, which is apoptotic in nature and biphasic in time course, with an initial peak on postnatal day (PND) 2, and a second on PND14. By PND20 the event has largely subsided. This natural cell death event is regulated in vivo by interaction with striatal target: it is augmented by axon-sparing @entity75 , DA terminal destruction, and medial forebrain bundle axotomy. This @entity734 is present largely within only the first two postnatal weeks. The striatal target-derived @entity30622 (s) that regulate this death event are unknown. We have shown, in a postnatal primary culture model of mesencephalic DA neurons, that @entity6352 ( @entity6352 ) is unique in its ability to support their viability by suppressing apoptosis. We have also recently found that intrastriatal injection of @entity6352 in vivo suppresses apoptosis, and injection of neutralizing antibodies augments it. Thus, @entity6352 is a leading candidate for a striatum-derived @entity30622 for DA neurons during development.

Postnatal developmental programmed cell death in XXXX neurons.

@entity6352 :: ('2668', 'Gene') :: ['glia-derived neurotrophic factor', 'GDNF'] @entity935 :: ('MESH:D004298', 'Chemical') :: ['dopamine'] @entity75 :: ('MESH:D001927', 'Disease') :: ['target lesion'] @entity30622 :: ('9048', 'Gene') :: ['neurotrophic factor'] @entity734 :: ('MESH:D019966', 'Disease') :: ['target dependence']
@entity935 :: (MESH:D004298,Chemical) :: ['dopamine']
