Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (G-DNF) is a neurotrophic factors belong to TGF-beta super family necessary for neuron survival and phenotypic maintenance in central and peripheral nervous systems [1]. G-DNF has the potent to support the differentiation and survival of many neuron subpopulations, prominent for dopaminergic neurons [2] and motor neurons [3], as well as Purkinje cells and sympathetic neurons. Sertoli cells, type 1 astrocytes, Schwann cells, neurons, pinealocytes and skeletal muscle cells are known to express GDNF in human [4]. GDNF has shown to interact with GFRA2 and GDNF family receptor alpha 1 [5,6]. Mutations in this gene may be associated with Hirschsprung's disease, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [7].

The recombinant human G-DNF expressed in CHO cells is disulfide-linked homo-dimer, with an apparent molecular weight of ~30.4 kDa.