Age and cell type influences on nerve--non-nerve contact interactions.

Eight-day ciliary ganglion neurons respond in a significantly different fashion to contact with dorsal root ganglia non-neurons than do 8-day dorsal root neurons. The ciliary neuron-dorsal root non-neuron interactions result in contact inhibition of both cells, whereas in the dorsal root neuron-dorsal root non-neuron case no such inhibition is observed. In addition, contact of 8- and 14-day ciliary neurons with heart fibroblasts results in inhibition of locomotion. However, the response of the fibroblast to contact with these neurons of different ages varies in a predictable fashion.