BDNF is a member of the nerve growth factor family of trophic factors. In the brain BDNF has a trophic action on retinal, cholinergic, and dopaminergic neurons, and in the peripheral nervous system it acts on both motor and sensory neurons. Some protein domains of BDNF are identical with those of NGF and another neurotrophic factor, designated NT-3 (neurotrophin-3 ). Polyclonal antibodies raised against murine NGF have been shown to cross-react with both NT-3 and BDNF. Recombinant Human Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor produced in E. coli is a non-glycosylated homodimer containing 2 x 119 amino acids with a MW of 26,984 Da.