| First Author | Albers KM | Year | 1996 |
| Journal | J Cell Biol | Volume | 134 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 487-97 |
| PubMed ID | 8707832 | Mgi Jnum | J:34172 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:81641 | Doi | 10.1083/jcb.134.2.487 |
| Citation | Albers KM, et al. (1996) Cutaneous overexpression of NT-3 increases sensory and sympathetic neuron number and enhances touch dome and hair follicle innervation. J Cell Biol 134(2):487-97 |
| abstractText | Target-derived influences of nerve growth factor on neuronal survival and differentiation are well documented, though effects of other neurotrophins are less clear. To examine the influence of NT-3 neurotrophin overexpression in a target tissue of sensory and sympathetic neurons, transgenic mice were isolated that overexpress NT-3 in the epidermis. Overexpression of NT-3 led to a 42% increase in the number of dorsal root ganglia sensory neurons, a 70% increase in the number of trigeminal sensory neurons, and a 32% increase in sympathetic neurons. Elevated NT-3 also caused enlargement of touch dome mechanoreceptor units, sensory end organs innervated by slowly adapting type 1 (SA1) neurons. The enlarged touch dome units of the transgenics had an increased number of associated Merkel cells, cells at which SA1s terminate. An additional alteration of skin innervation in NT-3 transgenics was an increased density of myelinated circular endings associated with the piloneural complex. The enhancement of innervation to the skin was accompanied by a doubling in the number of sensory neurons expressing trkC. In addition, measures of nerve fibers in cross-sectional profiles of cutaneous saphenous nerves of transgenics showed a 60% increase in myelinated fibers. These results indicate that in vivo overexpression of NT-3 by the epidermis enhances the number of sensory and sympathetic neurons and the development of selected sensory endings of the skin. |
