NGF receptor increase in the olfactory bulb of the rat after early odor deprivation.

In the olfactory bulb of normal rats, nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor (NGFR) immunoreactivity was largely confined to the glomerular layer. Unilateral closure of the nostril at postnatal day 2 (P2) increased NGFR immunoreactivity in the sealed bulb at both 19 and 60 days after the operation. The increase in NGFR density, measured by autoradiographic immunohistochemistry, was most dramatic 60 days postocclusion. These findings suggest that a compensatory increase in NGFRs may play a role in the maintenance of bulbar function after the early loss of sensory stimulation.