GDNF and Stroke: Therefore, other mechanisms may be also involved in neurogenesis-mediated functional recovery in the late stage of stroke, which include, but not limit to, that NSCs act as local pumps to release the neurotrophic and growth factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and never growth factor (NGF), etc. Those factors, in turn, support cell function and prevent cascade of apoptosis or further prevents subsequent cell death [26].