The family of proteins named neurotrophins and also their receptors play an important role in differentiation and survival of specific populations of neurons, including cutaneous nerves. Recent advance in neuroscience has shown that in addition to their neurotrophic actions, neurotrophins, particularly, nerve growth factor, mediate various immune and inflammatory responses. These functions are fulfilled by alterations in cytokine and neuropeptide production, through effects on neurotrophin receptor bearing immune cells, notably, mast cells, lymphocytes, and macrophages. Within skin, different neurotrophins are synthesized and released primarily by keratinocytes, thus affecting cutaneous innervation, postinjury neural reconstruction, and nonneuronal cells, such as melanocytes, through a paracrine action. Involvement of neurotrophins and their receptors in the pathogenesis of certain skin diseases is also reviewed.
Biomedical Reviews 1999; 10: 15-23.
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