title: Primary culture of embryonic rat olfactory receptor neurons.
abstract: Embryonic cells are very robust in surviving dissection and culturing protocols and easily adapt to their in vitro environment. Despite these advantages, research in the olfactory field on cultured embryonic olfactory neurons is sparse. In this study, two primary rat olfactory explant cultures of different embryonic d (E17 and E20) were established, comprising epithelium and bulb. The functionality of these neurons was tested by measuring intracellular calcium responses to cAMP-inducing agents forskolin (FSK) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) with fluorescence microscopy. For E17, the responsive cell fraction increased over time, from an initial 3% at the 1 d in vitro (DIV) to a maximum of 19% at 11 DIV. The response of E20 neurons fluctuated over time around a more or less stable 13%. A logistic regression analysis indicated a significant difference between both embryonic d in the response to FSK + IBMX. In addition, of these functional neurons, 23.3% of E17 and 54.3% of E20 cultures were responsive to the odorant isoamyl acetate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosystems-MeBioS (Mechatronics, Biostatistics and Sensors), University of Leuven, Willem de Croylaan 42, 3001, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Evelien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Micholt
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jans
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Callewaert
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bartic
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lammertyn
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nicolai
mesh_terms: D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D005576:Colforsin; D002118:Calcium; D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine