Artemin belongs to the GDNF family of ligands consisting of 4 members: GDNF, Neurturin, Artemin, and Persephin. GDNF family members orchestrate multiple aspects of the development and maintenance of the central and peripheral nervous systems. These GDNF family ligands signal through a multicomponent receptor system composed of a common signaling component RET (receptor tyrosine kinase) and one of the high affinity binding coreceptors GFRα (α1-α4). Artemin is a GDNF family member that functions as a ligand for the GFRα3 and RET complex. Artemin is a disulfide-linked homodimer that contains three intra-chain disulfide linkages and a cysteine knot motif. Artemin supports the survival of sensory and sympathetic peripheral neurons and also supports survival of dopaminergic midbrain neurons. Artemin expression in adult tissues is ubiquitous with high levels in peripheral tissues including the prostate, placenta, pancreas, heart, kidney, pituitary gland, lung and testis. In adult rat, systemic artemin treatment promoted the regeneration of sensory axons to the brainstem after brachial dorsal root crush. Recent findings suggest Artemin regulates multiple aspects of carcinoma progression and metastasis. Artemin is a hypoxia-responsive factor and is essential for hypoxia-induced cancer stem cell expansion in hepatocellular carcinoma and Artemin stimulates de novo tumor angiogenesis in mammary carcinoma mediated in part by VEGF-A.