protein_function: Seems to promote the survival of visceral andproprioceptive sensory neurons.
Neurotrophin-3(NT-3) is a new member of the nerve growth factor gene family, which plays an important role in the development and maintenance of the vertebrate nervous system. NT-3 and its receptor, called neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 3(Ntrk3; also called TrkC), are expressed early and throughout embryogenesis. NT-3 is one of five neurotrophin growth factors which shape the development of the nervous system by regulating neuronal survival and differentiation. NT-3 may be one of the central nervous system-derived factors that mediate neural crest(NC) cell proliferation in vivo. NT-3 has been mapped to human chromosome 12p and mouse chromosome 6.
