Nerve growth factor-induced intracellular calcium ion release in chick dorsal root ganglion neurons

Nerve growth factor (NGF) rapidly infused into the extracellular medium near cell bodies of cultured chick dorsal root ganglion neurons caused transient increases in intracellular calcium ions, which was detected by fura-2 fluorometry. Similar increases were also observed in a calcium-free medium. There was typically a delay of 20 min between NGF infusion and the release of calcium ions, and this delay was longer when NGF was applied at neurite tips. This is probably because NGF must be transported from neurites to the cell body, where calcium ions are released from intracellular stores.