Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor Receptors on Neuroblastoma Cells

睫状神经营养因子，CNTF，是一种已知的蛋白质，可促进培养中特定类型神经元的存活和分化，并影响神经胶质细胞的发育。CNTF作用的基本分子机制尚不清楚。一个简单、容易获得的系统，人神经母细胞瘤肿瘤细胞，将被用来识别CNTF受体。此外，还将采用药理学方法来表征CNTF信号转导影响细胞生理的细胞内机制。我们还将研究神经递质和离子通道配体对CNTF受体的调节，以及佛波酯诱导细胞分化的过程。这些研究承诺提供对神经系统中特定类型细胞的发育、存活、再生和衰老至关重要的因素的基础知识。

Ciliary neurotrophic factor, CNTF, is a protein known to promote survival and differentiation of specific classes of neurons grown in culture, as well as to affect the development of glial cells. The basic molecular mechanisms for the effects of CNTF are not known. A simple, easily accessible system, human neuroblastoma tumor cells, will be used to identify CNTF receptors. In addition, a pharmacological approach will be taken to characterize the intracellular mechanisms involved in transducing the CNTF signal to affect cell physiology. The regulation of CNTF receptors by neurotransmitters and ion channel ligands, as well as during phorbol ester induced cell differentiation will also be studied. These studies promise to provide fundamental knowledge about factors crucial to the development, survival, regeneration and aging of specific types of cells in the nervous system.