神经营养因子在哺乳动物生殖中的作用

The roles of neurotrophins in mammalian reproduction

神经营养因子是神经元增殖、分化和存活所必需的多肽类生长因子中的1个家族,已知成员有神经生长因子(NGF)、脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF),神经营养因子-3(NT-3)和神经营养因子-4/5(NT-4/5)。近来研究发现,神经营养因子的自分泌或旁分泌在体内多种组织和器官中存在,并对其生长、分化、功能等方面有重要的调节功能。目前,各种神经营养因子及受体已陆续在哺乳动物生殖系统中被发现,这表明神经营养因子可能通过细胞通讯调节生殖系统功能。据已知文献报道就神经营养因子在早期性腺发育,胚子发生,性别决定和妊娠等过程中的作用予以综述。这些信息为生殖生理学研究提供重要的理论参考,将对提高动物繁殖效率具有重要意义,还为探索不孕不育疾病的临床治疗方法提供有价值的参考。

Neurotrophins are a family of polypeptide growth factors that are required for the prolif- eration,differentiation and survival of neuronal cells,and members of the known consists of nerve growth factor （NGF）,brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）,neurotrophin-3 （NT 3） and neu- rotrophin-4/5 （NT 4/5）. Recent studies have found that neurotrophins are involved in regulating the growth,differentiation and function of different tissues via autocrine or paracrine pathway. At present,sorts of neurotrophins and their receptors have been detected successively in female and male reproductive system,which indicates that neurotrophins may regulate reproductive function. This review summarizes the existing data on the possible biological roles of neurotrophins in gon dola development, gametogeny, sex determination and pregnancy process. This information pro vides an important reference for the further studies of neurotrophins and will have great signifi cance to improve reproductive efficiency of livestock,and also provides a valuable reference to ex plore the clinical treatment of infertility disease.