Expression of high- and low-affinity nerve growth factor receptors by Purkinje cells in the developing rat cerebellum.

Mounting evidence indicates that nerve growth factor plays a role in the development and function of the basal forebrain-cerebral cortical system. In addition, recent studies indicate that nerve growth factor receptor messenger RNA is transiently detectable in whole cerebellum in the neonatal rat. We now report that cerebellar Purkinje cells express high-affinity and low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor sites, identified by 125I-NGF binding, in the postnatal Day 10 rat in vivo. The expression correlates with cerebellar development, suggesting that nerve growth factor may regulate the normal ontogeny of cerebellar Purkinje cells.