Molecular mechanisms of neuronal identity acquisition in olfactory sensory neurons

• Project/Area Number: 24370087
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Developmental biology
• Research Institution: University of Fukui (2013-2014); The University of Tokyo (2012)
• Principal Investigator: TAKEUCHI Haruki 福井大学, 医学部, 客員准教授 (70548859)
• Research Collaborator: NAKASHIMA Ai 福井大学, 医学部, 学術研究員 (60706331)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥18,070,000 (Direct Cost: ¥13,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥4,170,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥5,850,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,350,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥5,720,000 (Direct Cost: ¥4,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,320,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥6,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,500,000)
• Keywords: 神経科学 / 神経回路 / 嗅覚 / 発生 / 軸索ガイダンス / 感覚情報 / 脳科学 / 嗅覚受容体 / 発生学 / 軸索投射 / 神経活動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the mouse olfactory system, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) expressing the same olfactory receptor (OR) converge their axons to a specific set of glomeruli in the olfactory bulb. It has been demonstrated that ORs control transcriptional levels of axon guidance and sorting molecules to regulate axonal projection of OSNs. However, it remains unknown what is the signaling source for activating ORs. In the present study, we found that ligand-independent basal activities induced by expressed ORs play important roles in the targeting of OSN axons. This finding provides compelling evidence that the basal activity, which had been considered to be noise, is physiologically-important.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] 嗅覚情報処理を担う神経地図形成の分子基盤 (2014)
  • Author(s): 竹内春樹
  • Journal Title: 生体の科学 Volume: 65 Pages: 516-517
• [Journal Article] Neural map formation in the mouse olfactory system (2014)
  • Author(s): Takeuchi, H. and Sakano, H.
  • Journal Title: Cell. Mol. Life Sci. Volume: 1 Issue: 16 Pages: 1-9
  • DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1597-0
  • NAID: 130007718437
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Agonist-independent GPCR activity regulates anterior-posterior targeting of olfactory sensory neurons (2013)
  • Author(s): Nakashima A., Takeuchi H., Imai T., Saito H., Kiyonari H., Abe T., Chen A., Weinstein L.S., Yu C.R., Storm D.R., Nishizumi H., and Sakano H
  • Journal Title: Cell Volume: 154 Issue: 6 Pages: 1314-1325
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2013.08.033
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Possible roles of robo1+ ensheathing cells in guiding dorsal-zone olfactory sensory neurons in mouse (2013)
  • Author(s): ※Aoki M, ※Takeuchi H, Nakashima A, Nishizumi H and Sakano H
  • Journal Title: Developmental Neurobiology Volume: 73 Pages: 828840-828840
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Olfactory receptor and neural pathway responsible for highly selective sensing of musk odor. (2013)
  • Author(s): Shirasu, M., Yoshikawa, K., Takai, Y., Nakashima, A., Takeuchi, H., Sakano, H., and Touhara, K.
  • Journal Title: Neuron Volume: 81 Issue: 1 Pages: 165-178
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2013.10.021
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] 嗅覚神経地図形成の分子基盤 (2015)
  • Author(s): 竹内春樹
  • Organizer: 生命動態の分子メカニズムと数理
  • Place of Presentation: 京都大学稲盛ホール
  • Year and Date: 2015-03-16 – 2015-03-17
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 神経スパイク列の再構成から迫る活動依存的な回路形成機構の解明 (2014)
  • Author(s): 竹内春樹、中嶋藍、坂野仁
  • Organizer: CREST領域会議、数理デザイン道場
  • Place of Presentation: OIST
  • Year and Date: 2014-10-28 – 2014-10-29