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Nature Neuroscience 11, 627–628 (1 June 2008) | doi:10.1038/nn0608-627

Neurotrophins giveth and they taketh away

Alun M Davies

Extensive research spanning half a century has established a preeminent role for the neurotrophin family of secreted proteins in promoting and regulating neuron survival, axon growth and terminal arborization in the developing peripheral nervous system. The four neurotrophins of higher vertebrates, nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophins 3 and 4 (NT3 and NT4), exert their effects on developing neurons by binding to members of the Trk family of receptor tyrosine kinases (TrkA, TrkB and TrkC) and to a common receptor, p75NTR, which can facilitate apoptosis in some circumstances.