Does olfactory bulb neurogenesis depend on the continuous turnover of sensory neurons

哺乳动物的嗅觉系统具有识别和区分各种气味分子的非凡能力。这不仅为动物的生存提供了必要的信息，而且对它们的行为也产生了深远的影响。来自环境的气味信息影响着复杂的行为功能，如食物定位、生殖和母性功能、同种识别、情绪状态和社会地位。嗅觉信号由嵌入鼻腔后部嗅觉上皮的嗅觉感觉神经元检测，因此直接暴露于环境中。由于它们相对不受保护的位置，这些神经元很容易因暴露于毒素、传染性病原体或创伤而受损。事实上，这可能是对外部环境中这些有害物质的反应嗅觉上皮已经发展出非凡的再生能力在有限的时间内更新其整个神经元群。然而，这种持续的神经元转换给嗅觉系统带来了一个永恒的困境，即尽管其感觉上皮细胞成分持续变化，但仍要保持正常的嗅觉信息处理。嗅觉系统感知、识别和辨别气味的基本能力是如何在不断更新的条件下保持不变的？本研究计划旨在了解不同实验条件下这些基本机制。

The mammalian olfactory system has a remarkable capability to recognize and discriminate a wide range of odor molecules. This not only provides essential information for animal survival but has also profound effects on their behavior. Odor information from the environment influences complex behavioral functions such as food localization, reproductive and maternal functions, recognition of cospecies, emotional states and social status. Odorous signals are detected by olfactory sensory neurons embedded in the olfactory epithelium which lines the posterior part of the nasal cavity, hence directly exposed to the environment. As a consequence of their relatively unprotected position, these neurons can be easily damaged by exposure to toxins, infectious agents or trauma. In fact, this is probably in response to these hazardous agents from the external milieu that the olfactory epithelium has developed that extraordinary regenerative capability of renewing its entire neuronal population within a restricted amount of time. However, this continuous neuronal turnover imposes to the olfactory system an ever-lasting dilemma of preserving normal olfactory information processing despite persistent changes in the cellular composition of its sensory epithelium. How are the olfactory system fundamental capabilities to perceive, recognize and discriminate odors preserved under constantly renewed conditions? This research proposal aims at understanding these basic mechanisms under different experimental conditions.