Neural circuits of social behavior in the mouse main olfactory system

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K21062
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Basic / Social brain science; Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo (2017); University of Fukui (2016)
• Principal Investigator: Inokuchi Kasumi 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 特任研究員 (90632349)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 神経回路 / 軸索投射 / 嗅覚 / 性行動 / 逆行性トレーシング / 細胞移動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Odor information induces various innate responses that are critical to the survival of the individual and for the species. An axon guidance molecule, Neuropilin 2 (Nrp2), is known to mediate targeting of olfactory sensory neurons to the posteroventral main olfactory bulb (PV MOB) in mice. Here, we report that Nrp2-positive (Nrp2+) mitral cells (MCs) play crucial roles in transmitting attractive social signals from the PV MOB to the anterior part of medial amygdala (MeA). Semaphorin 3F, a repulsive ligand to Nrp2, regulates both migration of Nrp2+ MCs to the PV MOB and their axonal projection to the anterior MeA. In the MC-specific Nrp2 knockout mice, circuit formation of Nrp2+ MCs and odor-induced attractive social responses are impaired. In utero electroporation demonstrates that activation of the Nrp2 gene is sufficient to determine the functional lineage of MCs and instruct their circuit formation from the PV MOB to the anterior MeA.

Free Research Field

神経回路