Neural map formation in the mouse olfactory system

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K21029
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Developmental biology; Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Nakashima Ai 東京大学, 大学院薬学系研究科(薬学部), 特任助教 (60706331)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 嗅覚 / 神経回路構築 / カルシウムイメージング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the mouse olfactory system, olfactory receptors (ORs) regulate a combinatorial expression of axon-sorting molecules at OSN axon termini through spontaneous neural activity. However, it remains unclear how different ORs generate different expression patterns of axon-sorting molecules. Here we have applied genetic approaches to explore regulatory mechanisms underlying their expressions. We conducted Calcium imaging using GCaMP6f sensor to monitor spontaneous activities of developing olfactory neurons. It was found that OSNs expressing the same OR exhibited similar patterns of calcium transients. However, cross-correlation analysis revealed that calcium events between OSNs expressing the same OR were not synchronized. These results indicate that temporal patterns of spontaneous activity, which are correlated with expressed OR types, are important to generate the combinatorial expressions of axon-sorting molecules for the OR-specific axon sorting.

Free Research Field

分子生物学