Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026
08:42
Whole Mount Labeling of Cilia in the Main Olfactory System of Mice
Published on: December 27, 2014
Odor information processing by the olfactory bulb analyzed in gene-targeted mice.
Jie Tan1, Agnès Savigner, Minghong Ma
1Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
Neuron
|March 30, 2010
Summary
Olfactory sensory neurons and their target cells in the main olfactory bulb show similar selectivity to odorants at low concentrations. Lateral inhibition sharpens the tuning of these target cells at higher concentrations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Olfactory System Research
- Sensory Processing
Background:
- Mammalian olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) expressing specific odorant receptors (ORs) project to the main olfactory bulb (MOB).
- Understanding signal transformation from OSNs to mitral/tufted (M/T) cells is a key challenge in olfactory research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how olfactory signals are transformed in the MOB.
- To determine the selectivity of OSNs and M/T cells across different odorant concentrations.
- To explore the role of interneurons in shaping M/T cell responses.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiological recordings from OSNs expressing the mouse I7 receptor and their postsynaptic M/T cells in the MOB.
- Odorant stimulation at varying concentrations.
- Pharmacological manipulation of GABAergic neurotransmission.
Main Results:
- I7 OSNs and their corresponding M/T cells displayed similar tuning selectivity at low odorant concentrations.
- Increased odorant concentration reduced selectivity in both OSNs and M/T cells, though M/T cell tuning remained narrower.
- Interneurons in the MOB showed broad tuning; blocking GABAergic transmission decreased M/T cell selectivity at high concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory information from a specific OR is relayed to its cognate M/T cells.
- Lateral inhibition mediated by MOB interneurons plays a crucial role in sharpening M/T cell tuning, especially at higher odorant concentrations.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Olfaction
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...
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
01:20Physiology 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...
The olfactory...
01:03Olfactory 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...