DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF OLFACTORY RECEPTOR NEURONS

嗅觉系统有几个特点，使其有利于 研究哺乳动物神经细胞的发育和替换 中枢神经系统 嗅觉神经上皮细胞具有显著的 重建嗅觉受体神经元的能力。 这是可能 由于干细胞（成神经细胞）的持续种群具有 产生新神经元的能力（神经发生） 单独的. 因此，嗅觉神经元是神经元教条的例外， 神经元替换是可能的，即使是在成年人身上。 的因素 控制嗅觉系统神经再生的神经系统 明白 产生新神经元的非凡能力引起了广泛的兴趣 不仅在化学感受功能方面， 一个研究神经元替换的模型系统。 还有 关于嗅觉系统再生还有很多要学的， 移植技术可以提供一种有价值的方法来研究 结构和功能。 实验计划去除嗅觉 从鼻腔中取出受体神经元， 新生儿和老年宿主动物的大脑区域。 解剖学上， 放射自显影和免疫细胞化学技术将提供一个 全面评估神经发生的能力和限度， 神经细胞发育、轴突生长和移植后的可塑性 嗅觉神经元 如果供体神经元发育并与宿主融合 神经组织，那么形成新的突触连接的可能性 存在. 这些为大脑提供了新神经元的来源， 重大发现。 该项目将提供新的信息，这将导致更好的 了解嗅觉系统，并可以提供基础 对于治疗由于衰老引起的神经元损失的新策略（嗅觉，味觉， 听力），损伤和疾病，如阿尔茨海默氏症。

The olfactory system has several characteristics that make it favorable to study nerve cell development and replacement in the mammalian central nervous system. Olfactory neuroepithelium has the remarkable capacity to reconstitute olfactory receptor neurons. This is possible due to a persistent population of stem cells (neuroblast) that have the capacity to produce new neurons (neurogenesis) for the life of the individual. Thus, olfactory neurons are the exception to neuron dogma, and neuron replacement is possible, even in the adult. The factors that control neural regeneration of the olfactory system are not fully understood. The remarkable capacity of producing new neurons is of wide interest not only with respect for chemosensory function but also their use as a model system for the study of neuron replacement. There is still much to be learned about olfactory system regeneration and, transplantation techniques can provide a valuable approach to studying structure and function. Experiments are planned to remove olfactory receptor neurons from the nasal cavity and place them in different brain regions of neonatal and old age host animals. Anatomical, autoradiographic and immunocytochemical techniques will provide a comprehensive assessment of the capacity and limits of neurogenesis, nerve cell development, axon growth and plasticity of transplanted olfactory neurons. If donor neurons develop and integrate with host neural tissue, then the possibility of forming new synaptic connections exists. These provide a source of new neurons for the brain, a most significant finding. This project will contribute new information that will lead to a better understanding of the olfactory system and could provide the foundation for new strategies for treating neuron loss due to aging (smell, taste, hearing), injury and disease, such as Alzheimer's.