Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Apoptosis in the aging olfactory epithelium.

Alan M Robinson1, D B Conley, M J Shinners

  • 1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.

The Laryngoscope
|August 13, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Aging increases pro-apoptotic gene expression in rat olfactory mucosa, mirroring deafferentation effects. This suggests age-related changes in olfactory receptor neurons contribute to declining smell sensation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same authorSame journal

The Musculoskeletal Consequences of Mouth Breathing in Adults: A Systematic Review.

The Laryngoscope·2026
Same author

Complement-Eosinophil Crosstalk Links Complement Activation to Fibrin Deposition in Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Allergy·2026
Same author

Heterogeneity and clinical relevance of group 2 innate lymphoid cells subsets in nasal polyps.

The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology·2026
Same author

Importance of Smell Loss to Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps: Options for Management and Recovery.

Clinical and translational allergy·2026
Same author

Appropriate Medical Therapy Primarily Modifies Type 2 and Severity Biomarkers in Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

International forum of allergy & rhinology·2026
Same author

Effect and Threshold of Endoscopic Findings for CRS Control Status and Long-Term Outcome Prediction.

International forum of allergy & rhinology·2025

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) undergo baseline apoptosis, potentially due to environmental damage.
  • Aging is associated with changes in gene expression within the olfactory mucosa.
  • Understanding these changes is crucial for explaining age-related olfactory decline.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate age-related changes in apoptosis-regulating gene expression in rat olfactory mucosa.
  • To compare these age-related changes with those induced by olfactory receptor neuron deafferentation.

Main Methods:

  • Studied olfactory mucosae from young normal rats, old normal rats, and young rats post-olfactory bulb removal (deafferentation).
  • Utilized Ribonuclease protection assays and histological analysis.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Deafferentation was performed to induce controlled apoptosis and regeneration.

    • Main Results:

    • Aged rats showed increased expression of pro-apoptotic genes (procaspase-3, bax) compared to young rats.
    • Deafferented rats also exhibited increased expression of these pro-apoptotic genes.
    • Gene expression changes in aged rats mimicked those seen after deafferentation.

    Conclusions:

    • Aging alters olfactory mucosa gene expression, favoring apoptosis and potentially increasing ORN fragility.
    • These molecular changes may contribute to the age-related decline in olfactory sensation.
    • The findings provide insights into the cellular mechanisms underlying olfactory aging.