“…the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) (Jing et al, 1996;Treanor et al, 1996) and the neurturin (NTN) (Kotzbauer et al, 1997). Recent studies have shown that GDNF-and NTN-dependent RET signalling requires the presence of either one of two related glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked cell surface-associated co-receptors, respectively termed GDNFR-a (Jing et al, 1996;Treanor et al,Although first described as a non-haemopoietic RTK involved in the physiologic development of neural crest derivatives, enteric nervous system and components of the excretory system Pichel et al, 1996;Sanchez et al, 1996), previous studies from our and other groups (Visser et al, 1996;Gattei et al, 1997a) have demonstrated the expression of the RET RTK in human normal and malignant haemopoietic cells. In particular, RET mRNA, expressed at a low level in normal CD34 þ haemopoietic progenitors, has been found to increase upon differentiation to mature myelomonocytic cells, being maximal in circulating neutrophils and monocytes (Visser et al, 1996;Gattei et al, 1997a).…”