The effects of olfactory sensory inputs on maturation process of newly generated olfactory sensory neurons

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26462577
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Otorhinolaryngology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kikuta Shu 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (00555865)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 耳鼻咽喉科 / 嗅覚障害 / 嗅神経

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined whether olfactory sensory deprivation affected the dynamic incorporation of newly generated OSNs 3, 7, 14, and 28 days post-injury in adult mice. No significant differences in the numbers of olfactory marker protein (OMP)-positive mature OSNs or apoptotic OSNs were observed between the deprived and non-deprived sides 0-7 days post-injury. However, between days 7 and 28, the sensory deprived side showed markedly fewer OSNs and mature OSNs but more apoptotic OSNs than the non-deprived side. Intrinsic functional imaging of the dorsal surface of the olfactory bulb at day 28 revealed that responses to odor stimulation were weaker in the deprived side compared with those in the non-deprived side. These results indicate that in the adult OE sensory deprivation disrupts compensatory OSN regeneration following injury and that newly generated OSNs have a critical time window for sensory input-dependent survival 7-14 days post-injury.

Free Research Field

嗅覚生理