Age-related change in the axonal diameter of the olfactory nerve in mouse lamina propria.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrated the age-related decrease in the axonal diameter of the olfactory nerve. This finding may represent the maturational change of the olfactory receptor neurons.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate age-related changes in the axonal diameter of the olfactory nerve in the lamina propria.


METHODS
Female ICR mice, postnatal age 10 days, 3 months, 7 months, and 16 months, were studied. The electron micrographs of septal olfactory mucosa were used to measure the axonal diameters of olfactory nerves.


RESULTS
The distribution of the diameter shifted toward the thinner side between 10-day-old and 3-month-old mice. The axonal diameter showed significant decreases (p < 0.001) from the age of 10 days to that of 3 months.
Watanabe
Kenta
K
Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Quentaw@aol.com
Kondo
Kenji
K
Yamasoba
Tatsuya
T
Kaga
Kimitaka
K
D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology; D009832:Olfactory Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology