Postnatal experience modulates functional properties of mouse olfactory sensory neurons

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Sensory Systems Biology
• Olfactory System Research

Background:

• Early life experiences significantly influence sensory system development and function.
• Neonatal sensory deprivation, such as unilateral naris closure, induces changes in the mammalian olfactory system from the epithelium to the cortex.
• The impact of early experience on the functional properties of individual olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how early sensory experience shapes the functional properties of individual olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs).
• To determine the effects of neonatal unilateral naris closure on odorant response properties of OSNs in mice.

Main Methods:

• Utilized patch-clamp electrophysiology on genetically tagged OSNs expressing specific odorant receptors (ORs).
• Compared OSN responses in the deprived (closed nostril) and overexposed (open nostril) sides after 4 weeks of unilateral naris closure.
• Analyzed odorant response properties including sensitivity, rise time, decay time, and adaptation.

Main Results:

• Sensory deprivation increased the sensitivity of MOR23 OSNs in the closed nostril, while overexposure decreased it in the open nostril.
• Sensory deprivation significantly slowed the decay phase of odorant-induced transduction events in both MOR23 and M71 OSN types.
• Upregulation of several signaling proteins was confirmed in the deprived olfactory epithelium compared to the open side.

Conclusions:

• Early sensory experience dynamically modulates the functional properties of individual olfactory sensory neurons.
• Changes in OSN function, particularly slowed response kinetics, are likely mediated by modifications in the olfactory signal transduction cascade.
• This study highlights the plasticity of the primary olfactory sensory neurons in response to early life sensory input.