title: Development of the Olfactory Epithelium and Nasal Glands in TMEM16A-/- and TMEM16A+/+ Mice.
abstract: TMEM16A/ANO1 is a calcium-activated chloride channel expressed in several types of epithelia and involved in various physiological processes, including proliferation and development. During mouse embryonic development, the expression of TMEM16A in the olfactory epithelium is dynamic. TMEM16A is expressed at the apical surface of the entire olfactory epithelium at embryonic day E12.5 while from E16.5 its expression is restricted to a region near the transition zone with the respiratory epithelium. To investigate whether TMEM16A plays a role in the development of the mouse olfactory epithelium, we obtained the first immunohistochemistry study comparing the morphological properties of the olfactory epithelium and nasal glands in TMEM16A-/- and TMEM16A+/+ littermate mice. A comparison between the expression of the olfactory marker protein and adenylyl cyclase III shows that genetic ablation of TMEM16A did not seem to affect the maturation of olfactory sensory neurons and their ciliary layer. As TMEM16A is expressed at the apical part of supporting cells and in their microvilli, we used ezrin and cytokeratin 8 as markers of microvilli and cell body of supporting cells, respectively, and found that morphology and development of supporting cells were similar in TMEM16A-/- and TMEM16A+/+ littermate mice. The average number of supporting cells, olfactory sensory neurons, horizontal and globose basal cells were not significantly different in the two types of mice. Moreover, we also observed that the morphology of Bowman's glands, nasal septal glands and lateral nasal glands did not change in the absence of TMEM16A. Our results indicate that the development of mouse olfactory epithelium and nasal glands does not seem to be affected by the genetic ablation of TMEM16A.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Olfactory Transduction, SISSA, International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Devendra Kumar
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Maurya
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Olfactory Transduction, SISSA, International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.affiliation: Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.affiliation: Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pedemonte
authors.affiliation: Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luis J V
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Galietta
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, UCSF School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jason R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rock
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States of America.
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Harfe
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Olfactory Transduction, SISSA, International School for Advanced Studies, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000075369:Anoctamin-1; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053533:Keratin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008871:Microvilli / Q000378:metabolism; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: C531181:ANO1 protein, mouse; D000075369:Anoctamin-1; D018118:Chloride Channels; D053533:Keratin-8; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen