The differential expression of NGFS-like substance from fresh pilose antler of Cervus nippon Temminck.

Abstract

Extracts of cartilage from antlers of non-mature deer, e.g. Cervus nippon Temminck, have been used as Chinese traditional medicines and restoratives. Since bioactivities attributed to the antler extracts resembled growth factor activities, the objective of our study was to compare the biological activities of different deer antler extracts with those of known growth factors. Extracts of the deer antlers were found to stimulate the growth of nerve fibers and to induce morphologic changes during differentiation and effect DNA synthesis in PC-12 cells, thus sharing with a known growth factor, NGF, several bioactivities.