Polyclonal Antibody to GFRα-1 (IN)

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a potent survival factor for central and peripheral neurons and is essential for the development of kidneys and the enteric nerve system. Physiological responses to GDNF require the presence of a novel glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol linked protein GDNFRα, which is a cell surface receptor for GDNF [1,2]. The cDNAs encoding GDNFRα from human, rat, chicken and mouse have been cloned [1-5]. GDNFRα was also termed Ret ligand 1 (RETL1) or TGF-β-related neurotrophic factor receptor 1 (TrnR1) and nominated as GFRα [5-7]. GFRα-1 binds GDNF specifically and mediates activation of the Ret protein tyrosine kinase (PTK). Thus, GDNF, GFRα and the Ret PTK form a complex to transduce GDNF signal and to mediate GDNF function.