Since it was first isolated by Nobel Laureates Rita Levi-Montalcini and Stanley Cohen in 1956, numerous biological processes involving NGF have been identified, two of them being the survival of pancreatic beta cells and the regulation of the immune system.
Desde que foi illado polos premios Nobel Rita Levi-Montalcini e Stanley Cohen en 1956, identificáronse numerosos procesos biolóxicos nos que interviña o NGF, dous deles son a supervivencia de células beta pancreáticas e a regulación do sistema inmunitario.