Abstract
We examined the influence of BDNF depletion in peripheral tissues on the formation of Ruffini endings and their neuronal survival by injections of neutralizable anti-BDNF antibody into mouse mystacial pads for periods of 5 days at different developmental stages of the Ruffini endings (the pre-formation stage from the 2nd to 6th day after birth, the formation stage from the 4th to 8th, or the post-formation stage from the 10th to 14th). The treatment at the pre-formation and formation stages caused a significant decrease in the number of Ruffini endings in vibrissa follicles. This decrease in Ruffini endings was accompanied with a significant increase in neuron apoptosis in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) in both stages. However, at the post-formation stage, the anti-BDNF injection showed no effect on the formation of the mechanoreceptors nor their neuronal survival. In the post-formation stage, the axoplasmic spins of Ruffini endings were circumferentially embraced with the cytoplasmic processes of terminal Schwann cells. The present study indicates that target-derived BDNF is essential for survival of mechanoreceptive nerves in the pre-formation and formation stages, but not in the post-formation stages of their development. It seems that Schwann cells participate in this switch-over of neuronal dependency on brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 95-104 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Brain research |
Volume | 1154 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2007 Jun 18 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor
- Mechanoreceptor
- Ruffini endings
- Schwann cell
- Trigeminal nervous system
- Vibrissal follicle
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
- Molecular Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Developmental Biology