FGF-2 increased the number of proliferating cells in the subventricular zone by 30% in wild-type mice, and by 150% in HD transgenic R6/2 mice. [...] FGF-2 was neuroprotective as well, because it blocked cell death induced by mutant expanded Htt in primary striatal cultures.;Thus, our results demonstrate for the first time that the FGF2/ATP complex but not FGF2 alone mediates neuroprotection.;In  addition, co-culture of dopaminergic neurons with high molecular weight fibroblast growth factor-2 over-expressing Schwann cells revealed an increased survival and neurite formation of the mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons. These results suggest that the high molecular weight fibroblast growth factor-2 isoforms may serve as a new tool for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.;These data strongly suggest that bFGF and BDNF promote the formation of neuronal circuits as well as survival and that optical recording of organotypic hippocampal slices would be a useful technique that enables us to analyze neuronal circuit formation easily.;Our study shows that stimulation of glial cells by bFGF allows the up-regulation of antioxidant defenses and supports cell survival during oxidative stress.