| First Author | Pérez-Pérez M | Year | 2003 |
| Journal | Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol | Volume | 270 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | 117-28 |
| PubMed ID | 12524687 | Mgi Jnum | J:81509 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2449434 | Doi | 10.1002/ar.a.10010 |
| Citation | Perez-Perez M, et al. (2003) p75NTR in the spleen: Age-dependent changes, effect of NGF and 4-methylcatechol treatment, and structural changes in p75NTR-deficient mice. Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol 270(2):117-28 |
| abstractText | In addition to their well-known actions within the nervous system, neurotrophins and their receptors are involved in immune system functioning, as demonstrated by their wide distribution in lymphoid tissues and their in vitro actions on immunocompetent cells. Nevertheless, the in vivo roles of neurotrophin-receptor systems in lymphoid tissues, as well as the scope of their influence throughout development and adulthood, are yet to be clarified. In the present study, we used combined morphological and immunohistochemical techniques to investigate the presence and cellular localization of p75(NTR), the pan-neurotrophin receptor protein, in rat spleen from newborns to aging individuals, and the structural and innervation changes in the spleens of p75(NTR)-deficient mice. In rats, p75(NTR) was expressed by splenic nerve fibers and dendritic cells in an age-regulated fashion, with maximal expression detected at 2 weeks. Consistently, the spleens of newborn mice lacking this receptor protein showed no signs of ingrowing sympathetic fibers, along with an absence of defined white pulp areas. The present findings suggest a prolonged role of p75(NTR) in the physiology of the spleen; at least during the embryonic development period, the receptor may be critical for correct innervation and compartmentalization processes to occur. Anat Rec Part A 270A:117-128, 2003. |
