Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and electrophysiological properties of voltage-gated ion channels during neuronal stem cell development

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been reported to play a critical role in modulating a variety of neural functions such as membrane excitability, synaptic transmission, and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. BDNF has also been found to enhance neurogenesis. Although consensus is found on the general trophic effected by BDNF on subpopulations of neurons, little information appears concerning the effects of BDNF on ion currents during the development of these newborn cells. Here, we report that BDNF plays an essential role in the development of neural stem cells during a plastic period in vitro. We found that chronic stimulation of neural stem cells with bath application of 40 ng/ml BDNF during differentiation promoted the functional development of passive membrane, evoked biphasic changes in Na+ currents, regulated the expression of K+ channels and the outward K+ especially at the early developmental stage. In conclusion, our findings indicate that BDNF principally regulates the electrical properties of neural stem cell (NSC) especially in the early developmental stage.