Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
08:29
The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
Published on: October 30, 2014
11.4K
Evidence for a Notch1-mediated transition during olfactory ensheathing cell development
Sophie R Miller1, Surangi N Perera1, Cristina Benito2
1Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Journal of Anatomy
|June 9, 2016
Summary
Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) develop via Notch signaling, similar to Schwann cells. This study reveals a Notch-mediated transition during OEC development in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Glial Cell Biology
Background:
- Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are unique glial cells supporting olfactory axons in the peripheral and central nervous systems.
- OECs originate from the embryonic neural crest, similar to Schwann cells, but their development is less understood.
- Schwann cell development involves Notch signaling for precursor-to-immature cell transition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental mechanisms of OECs.
- To determine if Notch signaling plays a role in OEC development, analogous to Schwann cells.
Main Methods:
- In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry.
- Analysis of embryonic tissues from chicken, mouse, and human.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests a canonical Notch-mediated transition occurs during OEC development.
- This finding parallels the known role of Notch signaling in Schwann cell development.
Conclusions:
- Notch signaling is likely a conserved mechanism regulating the development of peripheral glia.
- Further research into OEC development can inform strategies for neural repair.
Related Concept Videos
03:14Notch Signaling Pathway
6.8K
The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
6.8K
03:14Notch Signaling Pathway
6.5K
6.5K
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
2.6K
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
2.6K
01:25Olfaction
49.7K
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...
49.7K
01:03Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
13.8K
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...
13.8K
01:20Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway
13.8K
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...
13.8K