Identification and quantification of mRNA for nerve growth factor in histological preparations.

Hybridization histochemistry has been used to detect mRNA for nerve growth factor (NGF) in histological preparations of mouse salivary glands and rat iris using a 32P-labelled cDNA probe and autoradiography. Label was visible over the tubular cells of the male mouse submaxillary gland but not the sublingual gland. A much lower label density was found over the tubular cells of the female submaxillary gland, whereas sections of liver and pancreas were negative. Quantitative autoradiography allowed the detection of low levels of mRNA for NGF in the rat iris which was elevated by prior culture of the tissue. The results provide direct histological evidence for the presence of specific NGF-mRNA in the mouse submaxillary gland and rat iris, with increased levels following culture.