Retrograde axonal transport of target tissue-derived macromolecules

Abstract
Neurons depend on contact with their target tissues for survival and subsequent development. The protein, nerve growth factor (NGF), is selectively taken up by sympathetic nerve terminals and reaches the neuronal perikaryon by a process of retrograde intra-axonal transport. In vivo it apparently acts as a target tissue-derived trophic factor. The development of the neurons of the chick ciliary ganglion requires structures derived from the optic cup. Media conditioned by non-neuronal cells contain factors creating the survival of neurons from ciliary ganglia. Chick embryo iris, ciliary body and choroid contain large amounts of these factors indicating the presence of a target tissue-derived trophic factor for the cholinergic ciliary ganglion. Neurons of the ciliary ganglion apparently accumulate, by retrograde intraaxonal transport, proteins synthesized and released by optic tissues in culture.