Trophic regulation of nerve cell morphology and innervation in the autonomic nervous system

A remarkable feature of nerve cells is the complex and variable pattern of their axonal and dendritic branches. Quantitative studies of a simple part of the nervous system in mammals provide evidence that neuronal geometry and innervation are regulated by long-term trophic interactions between neuro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1988-11, Vol.336 (6195), p.123-128
Main Authors: PURVES, D, SNIDER, W. D, VOYVODIC, J. T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autonomic Nervous System - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Cell morphology
Cellular biology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Mammals
Nervous system
Neurons - cytology
Peripheral nervous system. Autonomic nervous system. Neuromuscular transmission. Ganglionic transmission. Electric organ
Quantitative research
Trophic relationships
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
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Summary:A remarkable feature of nerve cells is the complex and variable pattern of their axonal and dendritic branches. Quantitative studies of a simple part of the nervous system in mammals provide evidence that neuronal geometry and innervation are regulated by long-term trophic interactions between neurons and their targets. This trophic linkage may explain how nerve cells adjust their function to the needs of bodies that vary markedly in size and form.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/336123a0