Experimental neurology
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Experimental neurology · Apr 1998
Ciliary neurotrophic factor stimulates astroglial hypertrophy in vivo and in vitro.
After insult or trauma, astrocytes become activated and endeavor to restore the brain's delicately balanced microenvironment. An index of their activated state is that they become enlarged or hypertrophic. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), a member of the alpha helical family of cytokines, is synthesized by astrocytes and is generally regarded to be an autocrine and paracrine injury signal. ⋯ W. Levison et al., 1996; Exp. Neurol. 141, 256), we conclude that CNTF is a powerful activator of astrocytes and that it is likely responsible for the persistent glial hypertrophy observed following injuries and diseases of the CNS.