<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide nucleic acids encoding PEDF and its functional fragments, vectors containing the nucleic acid, host cells containing the vector introduced therein, and a recombinant method for producing PEDF and equivalent proteins. <P>SOLUTION: Provided are a method for promoting the survival of a neuron cell by treating a cell cluster containing neuron with an active amount of pigment epithelium-derived factor, and promoting the survival of the neuron cells in the cluster, and a method for inhibiting the proliferation of glial cells by treating a cell cluster containing glial cells with an active amount of pigment epithelium-derived factor and inhibiting the proliferation of the glial cells in the cluster. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT 
CHARACTERIZATION, GENOMIC ORGANIZATION AND SEQUENCE OF PIGMENT EPITHELIUM-DERIVED FACTOR: PEDF GENE