Dependence on p75 for Innervation of Some Sympathetic Targets

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1994-03, Vol.263 (5152), p.1447-1449
• Main Authors: Lee, Kuo-Fen, Bachman, Kathy, Landis, Story, Jaenisch, Rudolf
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adrenergic Fibers - physiology; Adrenergic Fibers - ultrastructure; Adults; Animals; Axons; Axons - physiology; Axons - ultrastructure; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Innervation; Mice; Mutation; Nerves; Neurites; Neurons; Neuroscience; Peripheral nervous system. Autonomic nervous system. Neuromuscular transmission. Ganglionic transmission. Electric organ; Pilocarpine - pharmacology; Pineal gland; Pineal Gland - innervation; Population growth; Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor - genetics; Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor - physiology; Sweat glands; Sweat Glands - chemistry; Sweat Glands - drug effects; Sweat Glands - innervation; Sweat Glands - physiology; Sweating; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide - analysis; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.8128229

The low-affinity neurotrophin receptor p75 binds all neurotrophins with similar affinity. For elucidation of its function, mice bearing a null mutation in the p75 locus were generated. Examination of sympathetic innervation of target tissues revealed that pineal glands lacked innervation and sweat gland innervation was absent or reduced in particular footpads. The absence of adult innervation reflects the failure of axons to reach these targets during development rather than a target deficit. These results indicate that p75 facilitates development of specific populations of sympathetic neurons, for which it may support axon growth.