Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

44.8K
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...
44.8K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

9.4K
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...
9.4K
Synaptic Signaling01:09

Synaptic Signaling

5.7K
Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...
5.7K
The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

126.5K
Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
126.5K
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

9.1K
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...
9.1K
Integration of Synaptic Events01:28

Integration of Synaptic Events

1.7K
Synaptic integration mainly includes the summation of graded potentials. Graded potentials, regardless of their type, cause subtle alterations in membrane voltage, resulting in either depolarization or hyperpolarization. These incremental changes, when combined or summed, can propel the neuron toward its threshold. Consider, for example, a membrane experiencing a +15 mV shift, causing it to depolarize from -70 mV to -55 mV. In this scenario, graded potentials govern the membrane's ability to...
1.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

ESCRT disruption provides evidence against trans-synaptic signaling via extracellular vesicles.

The Journal of cell biology·2024
Same author

ESCRT disruption provides evidence against transsynaptic signaling functions for extracellular vesicles.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2024
Same author

Neuronal LRP4 directs the development, maturation and cytoskeletal organization of Drosophila peripheral synapses.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2024
Same author

Neuronal LRP4 directs the development, maturation, and cytoskeletal organization of peripheral synapses.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2023
Same author

SynLight: a bicistronic strategy for simultaneous active zone and cell labeling in the Drosophila nervous system.

G3 (Bethesda, Md.)·2023
Same author

SynLight: a dicistronic strategy for simultaneous active zone and cell labeling in the <i>Drosophila</i> nervous system.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2023
Same journal

A Matter of Parameters: Tailored Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Enhances Cortico-Thalamo-Cortical Circuit Resonance.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Proactive visual and motor prioritization differentially scale with cue reliability.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Erratum: Yao et al., "Estrogen Regulates Bcl-w and Bim Expression: Role in Protection against β-Amyloid Peptide-Induced Neuronal Death".

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Erratum: L'Episcopo et al., "Plasticity of Subventricular Zone Neuroprogenitors in MPTP (1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine) Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease Involves Cross Talk between Inflammatory and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathways: Functional Consequences for Neuroprotection and Repair".

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

Representations of subsecond duration-based timing by complex spike synchrony in cerebellar Purkinje neurons.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
Same journal

The extended language network: Language-responsive brain areas whose contributions to language remain to be discovered.

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Glial Influence in Experience-Dependent Synaptic Pruning During Critical Periods
07:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Glial Influence in Experience-Dependent Synaptic Pruning During Critical Periods

Published on: March 1, 2024

740

Synaptic Development in Diverse Olfactory Neuron Classes Uses Distinct Temporal and Activity-Related Programs.

Michael A Aimino1, Alison T DePew1, Lucas Restrepo1

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|November 29, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Neurons in the brain develop differently based on their type. This study in fruit flies shows distinct timelines and molecular needs for olfactory receptor neurons, projection neurons, and local interneurons to form synapses.

Keywords:
CNSDrosophilaantennal lobedevelopmentolfactionsynapse

More Related Videos

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
08:29

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo

Published on: October 30, 2014

11.0K
Quadruple Immunostaining of the Olfactory Bulb for Visualization of Olfactory Sensory Axon Molecular Identity Codes
06:32

Quadruple Immunostaining of the Olfactory Bulb for Visualization of Olfactory Sensory Axon Molecular Identity Codes

Published on: June 5, 2017

7.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 19, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Glial Influence in Experience-Dependent Synaptic Pruning During Critical Periods
07:13

Author Spotlight: Exploring Glial Influence in Experience-Dependent Synaptic Pruning During Critical Periods

Published on: March 1, 2024

740
The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
08:29

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo

Published on: October 30, 2014

11.0K
Quadruple Immunostaining of the Olfactory Bulb for Visualization of Olfactory Sensory Axon Molecular Identity Codes
06:32

Quadruple Immunostaining of the Olfactory Bulb for Visualization of Olfactory Sensory Axon Molecular Identity Codes

Published on: June 5, 2017

7.2K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Synaptic Plasticity

Background:

  • Developing neurons require precise molecular, cellular, and temporal cues for synapse formation and functional circuit development.
  • The diversity of neuronal classes raises questions about whether common mechanisms govern synapse formation and maturation across all neuron types.
  • It remains unclear if neurons within the same circuit, despite a shared goal like sensory processing, follow identical developmental timelines and molecular strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether different neuronal classes within the same sensory circuit (Drosophila antennal lobe) exhibit unique developmental programs for synapse formation.
  • To determine if distinct molecular mechanisms and activity-dependent processes underlie synapse development in various olfactory neuron types.
  • To elucidate the role of neuronal activity and GSK-3β kinase in the activity-dependent and independent regulation of synaptic development across neuronal classes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Drosophila antennal lobe as a model olfactory circuit with genetic access and high synapse resolution.
  • Employed tissue-specific genetic labeling of active zones for quantitative analysis of synapse formation in olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), projection neurons (PNs), and local interneurons (LNs).
  • Performed genetic manipulations to alter neuronal activity and GSK-3β kinase levels in specific neuronal subtypes to assess their impact on synapse development.

Main Results:

  • Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), projection neurons (PNs), and local interneurons (LNs) display unique developmental timelines for synapse addition and refinement, indicating distinct programs.
  • Altering neuronal activity differentially affected synapse number across neuronal classes; silencing impaired development in all, while enhanced activity only impacted ORNs.
  • Enhanced activity of GSK-3β impaired synaptic development in ORNs and LNs, suggesting a common pathway with neuronal activity, while GSK-3β loss-of-function affected ORN development independently of activity.

Conclusions:

  • Synaptic development requirements are not uniform across neuronal classes, exhibiting significant diversity in developmental timing and molecular regulation.
  • Neuronal activity and GSK-3β kinase play crucial, yet distinct, roles in the synaptic development of different olfactory neuron types.
  • These findings highlight class-specific developmental programs for synapse formation, offering insights into the mechanisms underlying neuronal maturation and potential etiologies of developmental disorders.