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Updated: Jul 9, 2026

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
Published on: October 30, 2014
Apoptosis and the insulin-like growth factor family in the developing olfactory epithelium
1Division of Histology, Department of Oral Growth and Development, School of Dentistry, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Ishikari-Tobetsu, Japan. suzuki@hoku-iryo-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
Vertebrate olfactory receptor neurons (ORN) are unique in that they are continually replaced throughout life. They die by apoptosis under physiological conditions at all stages during the life cycle, and apoptotic ORN are replaced by their progenitor cells. Apoptosis is linked with neurogenesis, of which pathway is regulated by a number of growth factors and neurotrophic factors. Members of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) family have an anti-apoptotic effect on ORN, in addition to their ability to promote the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of these neurons. Expression of IGF and related molecules at both mRNA and protein levels in the olfactory epithelium have been reported. In this review article, we focus on apoptosis, IGF, and their related molecules in the developing olfactory epithelium.
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