Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a member of the family of neurotrophins, is a key molecule involved in growth, development and modulation of the neuronal system. Due to its critical role in a large number of neuronal processes, BDNF altered functions and levels are associated strongly with many different neuropsychiatric disorders. Since quantification of PreBDNF, ProBDNF and Mature BDNF in human serum is considered a promising biomarker of neuropsychiatric diseases, the possibility to further differentiate between BDNF isoforms appears particular attractive in order to develop novel and more accurate tools for compound screening, as well as for the diagnosis and the follow-up of medical treatment of these disorders. In this Ph.D. study, a method for the purification of antibodies directly towards BDNF isoform precursors and Mature form was developed, and the specific purified antibodies were utilized in immunochemical assays, in order to study the trafficking of BDNF in neuronal cells.
