Alavian Kambiz N, Scholz Christian, Simon Horst H
Interdisciplinary Centre for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroanatomy-Ruprecht-Karls, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Mov Disord. 2008 Feb 15;23(3):319-28. doi: 10.1002/mds.21640.
Since mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons are associated to one of the most prominent human neurodegenerative ailments, Parkinson's disease, the molecular mechanism underlying their development and adult cellular properties has been the subject of intense investigations. Throughout life, transcription factors determine the fate of this neuronal population and control essential processes such as localization in the ventral midbrain, their neurotransmitter phenotype, their target innervations and synapse formation. Studies of transcription factors, such as Nurr1, Pitx3, Engrailed-1/2, and Lmx1a/b, have not only revealed importance of these genes during development, but also roles in the long-term survival and maintenance of these neurons. In this review, we will discuss the function of these transcription factors throughout the life of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons and their value in the study of the disease mechanism.
由于中脑多巴胺能神经元与人类最突出的神经退行性疾病之一帕金森病相关，其发育和成年细胞特性的分子机制一直是深入研究的主题。在整个生命过程中，转录因子决定了这群神经元的命运，并控制着诸如定位于腹侧中脑、它们的神经递质表型、它们的靶神经支配和突触形成等关键过程。对转录因子如Nurr1、Pitx3、Engrailed-1/2和Lmx1a/b的研究不仅揭示了这些基因在发育过程中的重要性，还揭示了它们在这些神经元长期存活和维持中的作用。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论这些转录因子在中脑多巴胺能神经元整个生命过程中的功能及其在疾病机制研究中的价值。
