Sympathetic axons pathfind successfully in the absence of target.

Abstract excerpt

To determine whether sympathetic axons require the presence of a peripheral target to grow to the correct destination, we examined the developing footpad innervation in tabby mutant mice which lack sweat glands. Despite the absence of sweat glands, noradrenergic sympathetic axons are transiently present in the presumptive target area and avoid the more distal epidermal/dermal domain occupied by sensory axons....

Topics

• Adrenergic Fibers
• Animals
• Axons
• Catecholamines
• Female
• Foot
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Mutant Strains
• Mutation
• Neural Pathways
• Sweat Glands