Skip to main content
Log in

Cell division in the developing sympathetic nervous system

  • Published:
Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

Cell division in the rat superior cervical and stellate ganglia has been followed from 6 days before birth until 14 days after birth by [3H] thymidine autoradiography. Neuronal division ceased at the postnatal day 4 in superior cervical ganglia and postnatal day 3 in stellate ganglia, whereas division of non-neuronal cells continued throughout the entire period studied. Dividing cells in both ganglia were predominantly neuronal before birth and non-neuronal after the postnatal day 3.

Nerve growth factor treatment resulted in an increase in the number of neurons in the ganglia when given either over the first four postnatal days while neuronal division was still occurring or from postnatal days 6–8 after neuronal division had ceased. The increase in neuron numbers was not due to increased neuronal division and was apparently due to an increased survival rate of differentiated neurons. An increase in the rate of division of non-neuronal cells accompanied the administration of nerve growth factor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aguayo, A. J., Peyronnard, J. M., Terry, L. L., Romine, J. S. andBray, G. M. (1976) Neonatal neuronal loss in rat superior cervical ganglia: retrograde effects on developing preganglionic axons and Schwann cells.Journal of Neurocytology 5, 137–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aloe, L., Mugnaini, E. andLevi-Montalcini, R. (1975) Light and electron microscopic studies on the excessive growth of sympathetic ganglia in rats injected daily from birth with 6OHDA and NGF.Archives italiennes de Biologie 113, 326–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, P. G. H. andCowan, W. M. (1976) The development of the isthmo-optic tract in the chick with special reference to the occurrence and correction of developmental errors in the location and connections of isthmo-optic neurons.Journal of Comparative Neurology 167, 143–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowan, W. M. (1973) Neuronal death as a regulative mechanism in the control of cell number in the nervous system. InDevelopment and Aging in the Nervous System (edited byRockstein, M.), pp. 19–41. New York and London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Detwiler, S. R. (1920) On the hyperplasia of centers resulting from excessive peripheral loading.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 6, 69–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamburger, V. andLevi-Montalcini, R. (1949) Proliferation, differentiation and degeneration in the spinal ganglia of the chick embryo under normal and experimental conditions.Journal of Experimental Zoology 111, 457–501.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendry, I. A. (1976) A method to correct adequately for the changes in neuronal size when estimating neuronal numbers after nerve growth factor treatment.Journal of Neurocytology 5, 337–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hendry, I. A. andCampbell, J. (1976) Morphometric analysis of rat superior cervical ganglion after axotomy and nerve growth factor treatment.Journal of Neurocytology 5, 351–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levi-Montalcini, R. andAngeletti, P. U. (1968) Nerve growth factor.Physiological Reviews 48, 534–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levi-Montalcini, R. andBooker, B. (1960) Excessive growth of the sympathetic ganglia evoked by a protein isolated from mouse salivary glands.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 46, 373–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, K. D. andPartlow, L. W. (1976) Neuronal stimulation of [3H] thymidine incorporation by primary cultures of highly purified non-neuronal cells.Brain Research 114, 415–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mobley, W. C., Schenker, A. andShooter, E. (1977) Characterisation and isolation of proteolytically modified nerve growth factor.Biochemistry (in press).

  • Sidman, R. L. (1970) Autoradiographic methods and principles for the study of the nervous system with thymidine-H3. InContemporary Research Methods in Neuroanatomy (edited byNauta, W. J. H. andEbbesson, S. O. E.), pp. 252–274. New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swank, R. T. andMunkres, K. P. (1971) Molecular weight analysis of oligopeptides by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel with sodium dodecyl sulphate.Analytical Biochemistry 39, 462–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoenen, H., Angeletti, P. U., Levi-Montalcini, R. andKettler, R. (1971) Selective induction by nerve growth factor of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine- β-hydroxylase in the rat superior cervical ganglion.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 68, 1598–602.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, P. M. (1976) Separation of functional Schwann cells and neurons from normal peripheral nerve tissue.Brain Research 115, 361–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, P. M. andBunge, R. P. (1975) Evidence that sensory axons are mitogenic for Schwann cells.Nature 256, 612–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaimis, E. (1972) Nerve growth factor: the target cells. InNerve Growth Factor and Its Antiserum (edited byZaimis, E.), pp. 59–70. London: Athlone Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hendry, I.A. Cell division in the developing sympathetic nervous system. J Neurocytol 6, 299–309 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01175193

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01175193

Keywords

Navigation