Trophic influence of sensory nerve: Alpha naphthol acetate esterase activity in normal and enervated rabbit skin.

This work is an attempt to study one histochemical aspect of the trophic influence of a sensory nerve on the skin. Histochemical studies concerned with the analysis of alpha naphthyl acetate esterase activity [ANEA] with and without the use of modifiers in normal rabbit skin and after denervation were carried out. Differentiation of the different skin layers on histochemical basis could be done. The results revealed a deranged spectrum of esterase activity, after denervation, mainly an increased Ach and B- esterases activities, and a decrease in A esterase activity. All these changes may indicate that the sensory nerve does have a trophic influence on the skin it innervates