Recombinant Human CNTF

CNTF is found predominantly in peripheral nerve tissues. The main source appears to be myelin-associated Schwann cells in peripheral nerves and astrocytes in the central nervous system. CNTF is present at very high concentrations within intraocular tissues that contain the same muscle cells innervated by ciliary ganglionic neurons in vivo. CNTF receptors are expressed exclusively in the nervous system and skeletal muscle. The alpha subunit of the receptor is anchored to the cell membrane by a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol linkage. The other receptor subunit, known as gp130, is also a component of receptors for LIF, Oncostatin M, IL-6 and IL-11, and seems to be involved also in signaling for CT-1. CNTF induces the expression of genes encoding hepatic acute phase proteins such as Haptoglobin, Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, Alpha-2-Macroglobulin and Beta-fibrinogen in human hepatoma cells (HepG2) and in primary rat hepatocytes with a time course and dose-response comparable with that of IL-6.