The hematopoietic factor G-CSF is a neuronal ligand that counteracts programmed cell death and drives neurogenesis
J. Clin. Invest. Armin Schneider, et al. 115:2083 doi:10.1172/JCI23559 [Go to this article.]

Figure 2
The G-CSF receptor (A–D) and its ligand (E–I) are expressed by neurons in a variety of brain regions in the rat. Among other areas, expression of the receptor was detected in pyramidal cells in cortical layer V (A); Purkinje cells in the cerebellum (B); and cerebellar nuclei (C). Importantly, this neuronal staining pattern could also be detected in the human brain (frontal cortex, D). G-CSF is expressed by neurons in many areas of the CNS. Immunohistochemistry identifies G-CSF–positive cells in the CA3 region of the hippocampus (E) and the subgranular zone and hilus of the dentate gyrus (E, arrows), the entorhinal cortex (F), the olfactory bulb (G), and cerebellar nuclei (H). Expression was also seen in cells in the SVZ (I).