Nerve growth factor in the developing craniofacial region of the mouse embryo

Nerve growth factor (NGF), demonstrated by immunohistochemistry, appears during craniofacial development of the mouse in several embryonic tissues. First, NGF is present in the neural and placodic tissues of early embryos. At later stages, NGF staining appears in premuscular and precartilaginous blastemata, as well as in the tooth germs. The presence of NGF in muscular primordia is probably in relation with its putative trophic effect on target tissues. However, cartilaginous expression of NGF supports the view that this molecule could play a role in the regulation of preskeletal differentiation.