Research paper onAutism-- pathophysiology and diagnostic tests Essay

Research paper onAutism-- pathophysiology and diagnostic tests - Essay Example Autism is a life-long developmental disorder affecting as many as 1 in 500 children. The causes for this profound disorder are largely unknown (White). Several pathophysiological conditions are responsible to cause autism, and one of them is Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). HGF is a polypeptide growth factor which acts by binding to the MET tyrosine kinase receptor. HGF influences the growth, motility and morphogenesis of various epithelial and endothelial cells and functions as a trophic factor for organ regeneration. Accumulating evidence suggest that HGF and its receptor MET play a role in neuronal cell development. First, HGF and its receptor MET are widely expressed in the developing and mature mouse brain, with expression beginning as early as embryonic day 12 (E12) and E13, respectively Second, HGF promotes the migration of cortical interneurons from the ventral to the dorsal telencephalon in rodents,and HGF-MET signaling systems are implicated in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of cerebellar granule cells. Furthermore, HGF plays a role in regulating the morphology of cortical pyramidal dendrites in the early postnatal period, and endogenous levels of HGF are necessary for the normal development of these neurons. Taken together, these findings Sugihara et al., 2007 suggested that HGF may be a candidate for mediating interneuron development in vivo. In this study, these researchers studied whether serum HGF levels in subjects with high-functioning autism are altered as compared with age-matched healthy controls. Furthermore, they also examined the relationship between serum HGF levels and clinical symptoms in subjects with autism. The findings suggested that disruption of the HGF-MET signaling systems results in complex alterations in GABAergic interneuron development in the forebrain. Taken together, it is likely that decreased HGF levels may be