GDNF is not required for catecholaminergic neuron survival in vivo

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is in clinical trials for treating Parkinson's disease. However, endogenous GDNF function in brain catecholaminergic neurons has remained controversial. The authors utilized three complementary conditional knock-out approaches during development and adulthood and found that GDNF is not required for the maintenance of the catecholaminergic neurons in mice.