Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026

In Vitro Modeling of Cancerous Neural Invasion: The Dorsal Root Ganglion Model
Published on: April 12, 2016
The GDNF Family: A Role in Cancer?
Graeme C Fielder1, Teresa Wen-Shan Yang1, Mahalakshmi Razdan2
1University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract:
The glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family of ligands (GFLs) comprising of GDNF, neurturin, artemin, and persephin plays an important role in the development and maintenance of the central and peripheral nervous system, renal morphogenesis, and spermatogenesis. Here we review our current understanding of GFL biology, and supported by recent progress in the area, we examine their emerging role in endocrine-related and other non-hormone-dependent solid neoplasms. The ability of GFLs to elicit actions that resemble those perturbed in an oncogenic phenotype, alongside mounting evidence of GFL involvement in tumor progression, presents novel opportunities for therapeutic intervention.
Related Concept Videos
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Cadherins in Tissue Organization
Cell Sorting During Development
Cell sorting plays an...
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways

