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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
10:33
Transplantation of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells to Evaluate Functional Recovery after Peripheral Nerve Injury
Published on: February 23, 2014
Olfactory ensheathing cell membrane properties are shaped by connectivity.
Lorena Rela1, Angelique Bordey, Charles A Greer
1Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Glia
|December 10, 2009
Summary
Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) show diverse biophysical properties and form unique cellular networks. Their gap-junction connectivity influences their electrical characteristics, impacting axon growth.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Glial Cell Biology
- Axon Guidance
Background:
- Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are crucial for olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axon extension in the olfactory nerve and bulb.
- Despite their known role in plasticity and axon support, OEC in situ morphology, biophysical properties, and cell-cell interactions remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the in situ morphology, connectivity, and biophysical properties of OECs within the olfactory nerve.
- To explore how cell-cell interactions, specifically gap-junction coupling, influence OEC function and electrical characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Slice preparations were used to maintain tissue structure and cell-cell interactions for OEC study.
- Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings and Lucifer Yellow injections were employed to assess OEC morphology, connectivity, and biophysical properties.
- Pharmacological blockade of gap junctions was used to investigate the role of electrical coupling in OEC membrane properties.
Main Results:
- OECs form a unique matrix of cellular projections surrounding axons and express high levels of connexin-43.
- Two distinct OEC types were identified: low-input resistance (linear) and high-input resistance (nonlinear) cells, with differential dye coupling.
- Pharmacological gap junction blockade induced nonlinear current profiles in linear OECs, indicating loss of electrical coupling.
Conclusions:
- OEC biophysical diversity arises from differences in gap-junction connectivity.
- Understanding OEC connectivity and electrical properties is essential for elucidating their role in axon growth and neural excitability within the olfactory system.
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