title: Cellular basis for response diversity in the olfactory periphery.
abstract: An emerging idea in olfaction is that temporal coding of odor specificity can be intrinsic to the primary olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). As a first step towards understanding whether lobster ORNs are capable of generating odor-specific temporal activity and what mechanisms underlie any such heterogeneity in discharge pattern, we characterized different patterns of activity in lobster ORNs individually and ensemble using patch-clamp recording and calcium imaging. We demonstrate that lobster ORNs show tonic excitation, tonic inhibition, phaso-tonic excitation, and bursting, and that these patterns are faithfully reflected in the calcium signal. We then demonstrate that the various dynamic patterns of response are inherent in the cells, and that this inherent heterogeneity is largely determined by heterogeneity in the underlying intrinsic conductances.
authors.affiliation: Whitney Laboratory, Center for Smell and Taste, and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America. bobkov@whitney.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Yuriy
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bobkov
authors.forename: Il
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ill
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kirill
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ukhanov
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Principe
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ache
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D033364:Decapoda; D004594:Electrophysiology; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium