THE EXPRESSION OF NERVE GROWTH FACTOR IN THE INTRINSIC CARDIAC GANGLIA OF RAT / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the existence and variance of nerve growth factor positive neurons in the intrinsic cardiac ganglia of adult (3 months) and old (15 months) rats. Method Immunohistochemical staining technique. Results NGF positive neurons exist in the intrinsic cardiac ganglia of the adult and old rats, but these neurons decreased remarkably and NGF expression reduced obviously in the cardiac ganglia of old rats.Conclusions The find of NGF positive neurons in the posterior wall of atria provides morphologic evidence for the normal existence and the decreasing of NGF related with age in the cardiac ganglia.It also indicates that the degeneration of heart function may correlate closely to the expression of NGF.