title: Cultured rat olfactory neurons are excitable and respond to odors.
abstract: Newborn rat nasal tissues containing olfactory epithelium were dissociated and maintained in a monolayer cell culture. Neurons were present, as determined by immunostaining with antibodies to 4 neuron-specific proteins: neuron-specific enolase, microtubule-associated protein 2, tau protein and synaptophysin. Immunostained neurons had a distinctive morphology resembling olfactory neurons. By patch-clamp analysis, these cells were electrically active. Responses of some neurons to physiological concentrations of an odorant mixture identified them as olfactory receptor cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, OH 45267.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pixley
authors.forename: R Y
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Pun
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009812:Odorants; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase