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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Nov 13.
Published in final edited form as: Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 2015 Oct 2;31:779–805. doi: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100913-013038

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Sex hormone regulation of the neurotrophic signal BDNF directs sexually dimorphic axonal maintenance and pruning. During early mammary gland development in the mouse (E12.5), TrkB+ axons receive trophic support from BDNF-expressing mammary mesenchyme in both males and females. At E13 androgens in males induce expression of a truncated form of the TrkB receptor (TrkB.T1) by the mammary mesenchyme. TrkB.T1 sequesters BDNF, neutralizing BDNF signaling. As a result, sensory axons in males are deprived of neurotrophic support and are rapidly pruned (E13.5).