MODULATION OF OLFACTORY NEURONS BY GNRH AND DOPAMINE

激素和神经递质可以调节脑电活动 外周嗅觉感受器神经元(Eisten等人，1996；Lucero等人 等人，1996年)。这表明嗅觉输出可能受到 某种形式的初始处理。类似于另一种感官 系统(即视网膜、前庭和味觉系统)一直是 显示为调节感觉输入，可以修改嗅觉信息 在它离开外围之前。 这个项目的重点是嗅觉神经元的外周调制。 通过内源性神经活性化合物。有许多可能的途径 内部代理可以通过它修改ORNS的活动； 粘液中的物质沐浴在细胞的树突末端， 嗅觉上皮中的神经肽和神经递质，甚至 可能来自嗅球的反馈。的初步试验 本实验室已证明促性腺激素释放激素(GnRH) 而多巴胺可以调节蜜腺的电压激活电流。 因此，这两种物质可能都是嗅觉的神经调节剂。 神经元。 本研究的目的是识别电压激活电流 受促性腺激素释放激素和多巴胺的调节 并对调节每一个的第二信使系统进行表征 这些影响。此外，这两个势的影响 微绒毛和纤毛嗅觉神经元上的神经调节剂将 被确定和比较。

Hormones and neurotransmitters can modulate electrical activity of peripheral olfactory receptor neurons (Eisthen et al., 1996; Lucero et al., 1996). This suggests that the olfactory output may be subject to some form of initial processing. Analogous to the way the other sensory systems (i.e. the retina, vestibular, and gustatory systems) have been shown to modulate sensory input, olfactory information may be modified before it leaves the periphery. This project is focused on peripheral modulation of olfactory neurons by endogenous neuroactive compounds. There are many possible avenues through which internal agents could modify the activity of ORNs; the substances in the mucus bathing the dendritic ends of the cells, the neuropeptides and neurotransmitters in the olfactory epithelium, even possible feedback from the olfactory bulb. Preliminary experiments in this laboratory have shown that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and dopamine can modulate voltage-activated currents in Necturus ORNs. Thus both of these substances may serve as neuromodulators of olfactory neurons. The goals of this study are to identify the voltage-activated currents that are modulated by GnRH and dopamine in Necturus olfactory neurons and to characterize the second messenger systems that mediate each of these effects. In addition the effects of these two potential neuromodulators on the microvillar and ciliated olfactory neurons will be determined and compared.