Developmental expression of neurotrophin receptor genes in rat geniculate ganglion neurons.

Individual neurons dissected from immunohistochemically stained paraffin sections of the developing rat geniculate (VIIth cranial) ganglion were assayed for their content of mRNA of the neurotrophin receptor genes, p75 , trkA , trkB and trkC. Fetal and postnatal rats, from the 13th embryonic day (E13) until the 20th postnatal day (P20), were used. Single cells were subjected to RNA amplification, followed by treatment with reverse transcriptase and DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).