title: Lineage analysis of the olfactory epithelium using a replication-incompetent retrovirus.
abstract: We have analysed the lineage of olfactory receptor neurons using a replication-incompetent retrovirus injected beneath the olfactory epithelium of young rats. There are two major types of clusters of infected cells seen at 5--40 days after infection: (i) horizontal basal cells (HBCs); (ii) variable numbers of globose basal cells (GBCs), and immature and mature sensory neurons. Olfactory nerve lesion increased the frequency of the globose/sensory neuron clusters, as well as the number of cells/cluster, but did not change the number of HBC clusters or cells/cluster. No clusters contained sustentacular cells. These data indicate that, at least in young rats: (i) HBCs are not precursors of olfactory neurons; (ii) there is a lineage path from GBCs to mature neurons; and (iii) sustentacular cells arise from a separate lineage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy & Cellular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine/New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caggiano
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kauer
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000502:physiology*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase