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Surface morphology of olfactory receptors
Journal of Submicroscopic Cytology
|January 1, 1983
Summary
Olfactory receptor cells possess cilia, unlike vomeronasal cells which have microvilli. This suggests cilia may support the chemosensitive membrane rather than being essential for detecting airborne stimuli.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Olfactory system research
- Cell biology
Background:
- Olfactory and vomeronasal systems detect airborne stimuli.
- Olfactory receptor cells possess cilia, while vomeronasal receptor cells have microvilli.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional necessity of cilia in olfactory receptor cells.
- To explore the role of cilia in supporting chemosensitive membranes.
- To demonstrate electrotonic continuity from cilia to spike-generating regions.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of olfactory and vomeronasal receptor cell structures.
- Intra-axonal injection of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to trace cytoplasmic continuity.
Main Results:
- Ciliary structure is not essential for airborne stimulus detection.
- Olfactory cilia may serve a mechanical or structural role.
- Intra-axonal HRP successfully spread from the axon to the soma and into ciliary shafts, confirming cytoplasmic continuity.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory cilia are not strictly required for chemoreception but likely support the specialized membrane.
- Electrotonic continuity is established from the ciliary shaft to the axon hillock in olfactory receptor cells.