[8][9] Mice born without the ability to make NT-3 have loss of proprioceptive and subsets of mechanoreceptive sensory neurons.

[10][11] NT-3 binds three receptors on the surface of cells which are capable of responding to this growth factor: TrkC is a receptor tyrosine kinase (meaning it mediates its actions by causing the addition of phosphate molecules on certain tyrosines in the cell, activating cellular signaling).

The crystal structure of NT-3 shows that NT-3 forms a central homodimer around which two glycosylated p75 LNGFR molecules bind symmetrically.

The symmetrical binding takes place along the NT-3 interfaces, resulting in a 2:2 ligand-receptor cluster in the center.

[15] Cells which express both the LNGFR and the Trk receptors might therefore have a greater activity – since they have a higher "microconcentration" of the neurotrophin.