Thoenen H
Department of Neurochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Martinsried, Germany.
Science. 1995 Oct 27;270(5236):593-8. doi: 10.1126/science.270.5236.593.
There is increasing evidence that neurotrophins (NTs) are involved in processes of neuronal plasticity besides their well-established actions in regulating the survival, differentiation, and maintenance of functions of specific populations of neurons. Nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, NT-4/5, and corresponding antibodies dramatically modify the development of the visual cortex. Although the neuronal elements involved have not yet been identified, complementary studies of other systems have demonstrated that NT synthesis is rapidly regulated by neuronal activity and that NTs are released in an activity-dependent manner from neuronal dendrites. These data, together with the observation that NTs enhance transmitter release from neurons that express the corresponding signal-transducing Trk receptors, suggest a role for NTs as selective retrograde messengers that regulate synaptic efficacy.
越来越多的证据表明，神经营养因子（NTs）除了在调节特定神经元群体的存活、分化和功能维持方面具有公认作用外，还参与神经元可塑性过程。神经生长因子、脑源性神经营养因子、NT-4/5以及相应抗体可显著改变视皮层的发育。尽管其中涉及的神经元成分尚未明确，但对其他系统的补充研究表明，NTs的合成受神经元活动快速调节，且NTs以活动依赖的方式从神经元树突释放。这些数据，再加上NTs能增强表达相应信号转导Trk受体的神经元释放递质这一观察结果，提示NTs作为调节突触效能的选择性逆行信使发挥作用。
