| When motoneuron axons are injured, expression of the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor (p75) increases in their cell bodies and axons, as well as in Schwann cells undergoing Wallerian degeneration in the distal nerve segment. To investigate the role of the p75 receptor following peripheral nerve injury.;My previous studies showed increased motoneuron death following facial nerve injury in wild-type, compared to p75 knockout mice, suggesting that the p75 receptor plays a role in promoting apoptosis. To further examine the apoptosis-promoting role of the p75 receptor, facial nerve transection injuries were performed in neonatal p75 knockout and wild-type mice.;To investigate the relationship between nerve growth factor (NGF) and the p75 receptor in promoting motoneuron apoptosis in vivo, I examined motoneuron survival in the facial nucleus of adult p75 knockout, NGF-overexpressing transgenic (T), and p75 knockout-NGF-overexpressing (KT) mice, following facial nerve transection injury.;To investigate the role of the p75 receptor on Schwann cells in the distal nerve segment following injury, cell numbers, apoptotic cell death, myelin, the Schwann cell marker, S-100, and a macrophage marker, F4/80, were examined in adult p75 knockout and wild-type mice following sciatic nerve crush injury. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
