Artemin is a survival factor for sensory and sympathetic neurons in culture, and its expression pattern suggests that it also influences these neurons in vivo. Artemin can also activate the GFRalpha1–RET complex and supports the survival of dopaminergic midbrain neurons in culture, indicating that like GDNF (GFRalpha1–RET) and NTN (GFRalpha2–RET), Artemin has a preferred receptor (GFRalpha3–RET) but that alternative receptor interactions also occur.