Chemotactic Effect of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor on Macrophages in Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival and Axonal Regeneration

Abstract

CNTF is a chemoattractant but not a proliferation enhancer for blood-derived macrophages, and blood-borne macrophages recruited into the eye by CNTF participate in RGC protection. This finding thus adds an important category to the existing understanding of the biological actions of CNTF.