Effects of cardiac denervation on levels of neuronal survival factors for cultured autonomic neurones.

The content of survival factors for sympathetic, sensory and parasympathetic neurones in the heart was examined after denervation with either 6-hydroxydopamine or vagal transection. There was a correlation between the type of nerve sectioned in vivo and the type of neurone whose survival in vitro was enhanced by the presence of denervated target tissue.