Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Whole Mount Labeling of Cilia in the Main Olfactory System of Mice
08:42

Whole Mount Labeling of Cilia in the Main Olfactory System of Mice

Published on: December 27, 2014

Secreted TARSH regulates olfactory mitral cell dendritic complexity

Ting-Wen Cheng1, Qizhi Gong

  • 1Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.

The European Journal of Neuroscience
|March 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

TARSH, a newly identified secreted protein, plays a crucial role in refining connections within the olfactory bulb (OB). It helps sculpt mitral cell dendrites during development, ensuring precise odor information processing.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Olfactory sensory neurons form precise connections with mitral cells in the olfactory bulb.
  • Mitral cell dendritic targeting is refined during development by eliminating excess dendritic branches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify molecules involved in the developmental refinement of mitral cell dendrites.
  • To investigate the function of the identified molecule, TARSH, in olfactory bulb circuitry.

Main Methods:

  • Genome-wide microarray screen to identify candidate molecules.
  • Analysis of TARSH expression patterns in the olfactory pathway.
  • In vitro studies using dissociated olfactory bulb cultures.
  • Overexpression studies in mitral cells.

Main Results:

  • TARSH (Target of NESH SH3) was identified as a transiently expressed protein in mitral cells during dendritic refinement.
  • TARSH expression is specific to olfactory pathway pyramidal neurons and is independent of odor-evoked activity.
  • Secreted TARSH reduces mitral cell dendritic complexity and restricts interneuron branching.
  • Overexpression of TARSH induces dendritic morphological changes in mitral cells.

Conclusions:

  • TARSH is a secreted protein involved in regulating mitral cell dendritic refinement.
  • TARSH is likely part of a genetic program controlling the formation of precise olfactory circuits.

More Related Videos

An Effective Manual Deboning Method To Prepare Intact Mouse Nasal Tissue With Preserved Anatomical Organization15:40

An Effective Manual Deboning Method To Prepare Intact Mouse Nasal Tissue With Preserved Anatomical Organization

Published on: August 10, 2013

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor10:16

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor

Published on: July 13, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...