Trophic Regulation of the Basal Ganglia. Focus on Dopamine Neurons

Since 1940 brain and pituitary extracts have been known to be capable of stimulating the proliferation of cultured fibroblasts. In 1974, one of these substances was partially purified and named FGF; later it was realised there exists a family of fibroblast growth factors, of which the best characterised are the FGF-I and FGF-2 (aFGF, BFGF). More recent work has shown that FGFs have many actions and that they are active not only on fibroblasts, but also on a wide range of cell types including those of the central nervous system. This volume represents the state-of-the-art of our understanding of aFGF and bFGF in the basal ganglia. Thus, the localization of those growth factors, the control mechanisms of their expression, and their trophic actions are analyzed in relation to nerve cell survival as well as to the neurodegenerative diseases affecting, the basal ganglia. Some of the most advanced research on degenerative and regenerative features of the basal ganglia is also presented. These studies involve the actions of neurotrophins, epidermal growth factors, gangliosides and neuropeptides as well as their localization and expression in the basal ganglia. These discoveries should help towards understanding the interactions between trophic factors and transmitters in the control of nerve cell function and their phenotypic maintenance, the studies in this work aim to provide the appropriate background knowledge necessary to fully appreciate the impact of present FGF research on the trophic regulation of the basal ganglia