title: Analytical modelling of retrograde transport of nerve growth factors in an axon: a transient problem.
abstract: The purpose of this paper was to develop an analytical solution describing retrograde transport of nerve growth factors (NGFs) from a target tissue to the neuron soma. The obtained solution is applied to describe two situations: (1) when all dynein motors are moving at a constant velocity and (2) when the dynein velocity distribution is described by a probability density function. The dynamics of NGF concentrations and fluxes is investigated. It is established that the magnitude of the diffusion flux forms a wave localised in space and propagating towards the neuron soma; the magnitude of this wave decreases as the wave propagates downstream. The dynein-driven flux of NGFs is demonstrated to be the main component in the NGF flux, which is shown to be strongly correlated with the NGF concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Campus Box 7910, Raleigh, NC 27695-7910, USA. avkuznet@eos.ncsu.edu
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Kuznetsov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000502:physiology*; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D054351:Electrical Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors