BDNF Recombinant Rabbit mAb (S-4118-38)

BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is one of the most important and widely distributed members of the neurotrophin family, belonging to the NGF (nerve growth factor)-related family. It is primarily synthesized and secreted by neurons and astrocytes, with particularly abundant expression in brain regions such as the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and basal forebrain in mammals. Its precursor, proBDNF, is cleaved by proteases to generate mature mBDNF, which exerts its functions by binding to and activating its high-affinity receptor TrkB (tropomyosin receptor kinase B) as well as the low-affinity receptor p75NTR, thereby initiating multiple intracellular signaling pathways (such as MAPK/ERK, PI3K/AKT, and PLCγ pathways) that play central roles in neuronal survival, differentiation, synaptic plasticity, and axonal and dendritic growth. One of the most renowned functions of BDNF is its regulation of long-term potentiation (LTP), a process considered to be the cellular basis of learning and memory formation, making BDNF critically important in cognitive function, spatial memory, and emotional regulation. Furthermore, BDNF expression levels are highly regulated by environmental factors (such as exercise, enriched environments, and stress) as well as endogenous neural activity, and its functional abnormalities are closely associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and schizophrenia. This makes BDNF not only a hotspot molecule in neuroscience research but also a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for numerous neurological and psychiatric conditions.