Figure 8

Model to explain the possible role of NGF in pancreatic development. Our results show that at foetal, early posnatal and P20 stages, the islets are immature in morphology and function. We observed that vasculature is formed first, followed by the innervation of sympathetic fibres and finally, by the capsule, finally conforming the architecture of the mature islet. Between P20 and adult stages a process of remodelling of the sympathetic innervation of the islet, probably by neural competition is observed. NFG could have a role in each the morphofunctional changes that can be received by insular cells, sympathetic fibres and blood vessels due to the presence to TrkA.