Factor neurotrófico derivado del cerebro en tejido cerebral de ratas sanas.

Up to the moment five proteins are known, structurally related that constitute the neurotrophin family that belong to brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that has influence on many types of neurons in the central nervous system, promoting neuronal differentiation, growth, and survival. This protein is important in the neuroprotection, as well as in the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. In this work we evaluate the BDNF contents in cerebral tissue from normal rats due to the importance of this factor in neuroplasticity phenomena, and the lack of normative data in the literature regarding the normal values of this protein in hippocampus, cortex, and striatum. Wistar male rats weighing from 200 to 250 g were used as experimental animals (n = 20). The samples were homogenized, and the BDNF concentration was measured using an immunoenzymatic system. There were no significant differences in the BDNF concentrations between homologous areas in both cerebral hemispheres right and left for the studied homologous areas, although a tendency to the decrease was evidenced in the left side concerning the right side when was compared. The concentration in hippocampus was higher than the one detected in the striatum and cortex, while BDNF concentration in the striatum and cortex did not show significant differences among them. This work allowed the established reference values of BDNF , which will be very useful for the future studies that research on the potentialities and neuroplasticity mechanisms, in the normal nervous system, as well as the recovery of lost functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]