Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Real-time Imaging of Axonal Transport of Quantum Dot-labeled BDNF in Primary Neurons
Published on: September 15, 2014
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor release with neuronal activity in fetal rats
Fang Ba1, Jun Ren, John J Greer
1Centre for Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Abstract:
Patterned spontaneous activity is generated in developing neuronal circuits in the brain and spinal cord. Here we test the hypothesis that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is released with spontaneous rhythmic neural discharge in the embryonic rat. The level of endogenous rhythmic discharge generated by in vitro brainstem-spinal cord preparations was increased from control by elevating extracellular potassium and decreased by tetrodotoxin or a cocktail of receptor antagonists. The concentration of BDNF in the bathing medium was detected via ELISA. BDNF levels were decreased by 45-65% in the presence of TTX or receptor antagonists and increased by 25% in elevated extracellular potassium. These data demonstrate that BDNF is released in association with an endogenous rhythmic activity generated by the developing CNS.
More Related Videos
09:46Analysis of Gene Expression Changes in the Rat Hippocampus After Deep Brain Stimulation of the Anterior Thalamic Nucleus
Published on: March 8, 2015
07:36Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
Published on: November 20, 2015