Genomic and Non-Genomic Actions of Nerve Growth Factor in Development

Chemical signals appear to play important roles in development of neural tissue. For example, they may function to spatially and temporally coordinate the differentiation of specific cell groups, to provide tropic signaling and guidance, and to mediate cell-cell communication and feedback. Moreover, because of their potential to function extracellularly, chemical signals could work either in restricted local environments, or, more diffusely, over long distances. Within the last 30 years, a number of macromolecular factors have been identified that can influence the development and differentiation of the nervous system. NGF is presently the most useful model available for studying the actions of chemical factors that regulate neural development. The aim of this chapter is to explore the role of the genome in the action of nerve growth factor.