BDNF is Expressed at the Crush Site after Spinal Cord Lesion in Newborn Opossum (Monodelphis domestica)

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) supports the regeneration of axotomized motoneurons in vitro. To study the role of BDNF in vivo, a partial cDNA encoding the BDNF of the opossum (Monodelphis dornestica) was cloned by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. The sequence was highly homologous to the BDNF of several mammals and chick. The spinal cord of newborn opossums was lesioned and allowed to regenerate in its entirety in a culture system for 3 days. In response to lesion, cells within the lesion and the ventrorostral wound margin showed strong expression of opossum BDNF mRNA as detected by in situ hybridization. In contrast, no BDNF mRNA expression was detected in unlesioned CNS preparations. This suggests that BDNF plays a role in the repair of lesioned neonatal spinal cord.