Effect of exposure to anti-NGF on sensory neurons of adult rats and guinea pigs.
Nerve growth factor (NGF) deprivation was produced in adult rats and guinea pigs by immunization against mouse NGF. Exposure of adult animals to anti-NGF had no effect on sensory ganglion neuronal number or size-frequency histograms. However, the substance P content of sensory ganglia, spinal cord and hind paw skin decreased to as great an extent as was seen in animals exposed to anti-NGF in utero. We conclude that NGF has two separate effects on sensory neurons: adult sensory neurons require NGF for normal function whereas developing neurons require NGF for both survival and transmitter expression.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000502:physiology*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000294:innervation; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation; D013373:Substance P / Q000502:physiology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D013373:Substance P