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Neurogenesis and cell death in olfactory epithelium
A L Calof1, N Hagiwara, J D Holcomb
1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine 92717-1275, USA. alcalof@uci.edu
Journal of Neurobiology
|May 1, 1996
Summary
The olfactory epithelium is a model for neurogenesis and cell death, revealing multiple precursor stages and regulatory factors controlling neuron numbers during development and regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- The olfactory epithelium (OE) is a valuable model for studying neurogenesis and cell death.
- Understanding how these processes regulate neuron number is crucial for development and regeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors regulating neurogenesis and neuronal death in the OE.
- To determine the mechanisms underlying these regulatory factors.
- To characterize the cellular stages in olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) generation.
Main Methods:
- Tissue culture of OE.
- In vivo studies involving olfactory bulb ablation or olfactory nerve severing in adult animals.
- Analysis of cellular stages in the ORN lineage.
Main Results:
- Identified at least three distinct stages of proliferating neuronal precursor cells in ORN generation.
- Discovered factors that regulate the proliferation and survival of ORNs and their precursors.
- Demonstrated that all cell types in the OE neuronal lineage undergo apoptotic cell death in vivo.
Conclusions:
- Multiple developmental stages in the OE serve as control points for cell number regulation by extrinsic factors.
- Neuronal birth and apoptosis in the OE are likely coregulated.
- The OE provides insights into the interplay between neurogenesis and cell death in regulating neuron populations.