Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a neurotrophic factor that belongs to the four-helix bundle cytokine family and is structurally related to interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 11 (IL-11), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), and oncostatin M (OSM). CNTF binds to its receptor CNFTRα and induces formation of a heterodimer of the signal-transducing IL-6 receptor gp130 and LIF receptor (LIFR)-β, which triggers JAK/STAT, ERK, and the PI3K signaling cascades. CNTF plays an important role in neurogenesis and the differentiation of neural stem cells and has been suggested to possess a therapeutic role in treating neurological disorders.
