The protein encoded by this gene is a polypeptide hormone whose actions appear to be restricted to the nervous system where it promotes neurotransmitter synthesis and neurite outgrowth in certain neuronal populations. The protein is a potent survival factor for neurons and oligodendrocytes and may be relevant in reducing tissue destruction during inflammatory attacks. A mutation in this gene, which results in aberrant splicing, leads to ciliary neurotrophic factor deficiency, but this phenotype is not causally related to neurologic disease. A read-through transcript variant composed of the upstream ZFP91 gene and CNTF sequence has been identified, but it is thought to be non-coding. Read-through transcription of ZFP91 and CNTF has also been observed in mouse. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2010],
show all
Function:
Disease:Overexpressed in most acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cases (27 over 29).,Function:CNTF is a survival factor for various neuronal cell types. Seems to prevent the degeneration of motor axons after axotomy.,Function:May be involved in transcriptional regulation. May play an important role in cell proliferation and/or anti-apoptosis.,online information:Ciliary neurotrophic factor entry,similarity:Belongs to the CNTF family.,similarity:Belongs to the krueppel C2H2-type zinc-finger protein family.,similarity:Contains 5 C2H2-type zinc fingers.,subunit:Homodimer.,tissue specificity:Expressed ubiquitously, particularly at high level in testis. Isoform 2 is testis specific.,tissue specificity:Nervous system.,