title: Effect of exposure to anti-NGF on sensory neurons of adult rats and guinea pigs.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D013373:Substance P