Collaborative Research: Discrimination of Complex Mixtures in Olfactory Signaling

合作研究：嗅觉信号中复杂混合物的辨别

• 批准号: 0640655
• 负责人: Charles Linn
• 金额: $ 33万
• 依托单位: Cornell Univ - State: AWDS MADE PRIOR MAY 2010
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-05-01 至 2011-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0640655&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Discrimination; Complex; Mixtures

A combination of behavioral and neurophysiological approaches will be used to study the mechanisms that control the wiring of connections between neurons in the brain, and how specifically this wiring contributes to the ability of moths and other animals to process and discriminate amongst different odor mixtures. The work will specifically address questions related to plasticity in the olfactory system, using several moth species including the corn earworm and the tobacco budworm. The investigators will transplant antennal imaginal discs between males of different moth species to study the interactions of sensory nerve cells with central neuronal types in the olfactory structures of the insect brain. Previous studies have shown that challenging the insect antennal lobe using this transplantation technique results in the development of unexpected sensory input, including re-routing of neurons that arborize in a novel fashion in the olfactory area of the brain, which results in changes in functional interpretation of sensory inputs. The results indicate that there is considerable plasticity in the mechanisms regulating the identity, guidance and targeting of sensory and central neuronal pathways, which can result in changes in the neural processing and behavioral discrimination of odor quality. The current award will address in part the specification of central olfactory projection neurons with respect to growth and development in defined spatial locations in the antennal lobe. The investigators will also examine the functional significance of novel projection neurons with respect to their output. The combination of behavioral and neurophysiological approaches to be used will provide generally applicable insights into the mechanisms that control the wiring of connections between neurons in the brain. This approach is of importance because it involves a natural chemical communication system, containing relevant odors in the life-history of the insects, which can be analyzed with very sensitive behavioral assays and established neuroanatomical and physiological techniques. The work is a collaborative partnership between investigators at Cornell University and the University of Utah will involve the training of a variety of personnel from high school students to undergraduates and visiting scientists who will benefit from exposure to an integrative, collaborative research program. Results from these experiments will be incorporated into classroom teaching and general public outreach activities.

行为和神经生理学方法的结合将用于研究控制大脑神经元之间连接的机制，以及这种连接如何具体地有助于飞蛾和其他动物处理和区分不同气味混合物的能力。 这项工作将专门解决有关嗅觉系统可塑性的问题，使用几种蛾类，包括玉米穗虫和烟草芽虫。 研究人员将在不同蛾类的雄性之间移植触角成虫盘，以研究昆虫大脑嗅觉结构中感觉神经细胞与中枢神经元类型的相互作用。 以前的研究表明，使用这种移植技术挑战昆虫触角叶会导致意外的感觉输入的发展，包括在大脑嗅觉区以新方式分支的神经元的重新路由，这导致感觉输入的功能解释的变化。 结果表明，有相当大的可塑性的机制调节的身份，指导和靶向的感觉和中枢神经通路，这可能会导致在神经加工和行为的气味质量的歧视的变化。 目前的奖项将部分解决中央嗅觉投射神经元在触角叶中定义的空间位置的生长和发育方面的规范。研究人员还将研究新的投射神经元在其输出方面的功能意义。 行为和神经生理学方法的结合将为控制大脑神经元之间连接的机制提供普遍适用的见解。 这种方法很重要，因为它涉及一个天然的化学通讯系统，包含昆虫生活史中的相关气味，可以用非常敏感的行为测定和建立的神经解剖学和生理学技术进行分析。 这项工作是康奈尔大学和犹他州大学的研究人员之间的合作伙伴关系，将涉及从高中生到本科生和访问科学家的各种人员的培训，他们将受益于接触到一个综合的，合作的研究计划。这些实验的结果将纳入课堂教学和一般公众外联活动。