The overall goal of this project is to understand what regulates the post-embryonic regeneration of the olfactory periphery. This proposal focuses on one major aspect of the project - the proliferation of new olfactory receptor neurons and associated cells in adult animals. Continuous proliferation and turnover of olfactory receptor neurons, even in adults, is a feature of humans that is also expressed in the animal model used in this study. The three specific aims are 1) What genes are associated with proliferation of new olfactory cells? 2) How do local and hormonal factors alter proliferation of olfactory cells? and 3) What functional changes are correlated with proliferation, maturation, and differentiation of olfactory cells? To investigate these issues, this proposal will use critical advantageous features of the lobster olfactory system, which include a wealth of knowledge about the functional organization of this system, continuous turnover of adult olfactory tissue that can be modulated by damage and hormones (as in mammals), and a developmental axis to its olfactory organ in which the zones of proliferation, maturation, and senescence, are physically separated (not so in mammals). Consequently, these experiments are possible in the lobster, but not in other prominent invertebrate models such as Drosophila and C. elegans which lack post-embryonic turnover of olfactory neurons. The experimental design will include molecular techniques including searches for novel genes (by representational difference analysis) and homologous genes (by RT-PCR), analysis of expression patterns of genes and their products (by in-situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry), and analysis of function (by patch-clamp and sing]e cell electrophysiology). These studies of stem cell-like activity and neurogenesis in post-embryonic adult animals are important since these regenerative processes are not only of basic importance to understanding regulation of function of a sensory organ, but also have the practical importance of helping us understand how to compensate for loss of activity and function through regulation by control systems.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01DC000312-15
Application #
6578639
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-1 (05))
Program Officer
Davis, Barry
Project Start
1985-12-01
Project End
2007-11-30
Budget Start
2002-12-01
Budget End
2003-11-30
Support Year
15
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$296,931
Indirect Cost
Name
Georgia State University
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
837322494
City
Atlanta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30302
Schmidt, Manfred; Derby, Charles D (2011) Cytoarchitecture and ultrastructure of neural stem cell niches and neurogenic complexes maintaining adult neurogenesis in the olfactory midbrain of spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus. J Comp Neurol 519:2283-319
Tadesse, Tizeta; Schmidt, Manfred; Walthall, William W et al. (2011) Distribution and function of splash, an achaete-scute homolog in the adult olfactory organ of the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus. Dev Neurobiol 71:316-35
Gentilcore, L R; Derby, C D (1998) Complex binding interactions between multicomponent mixtures and odorant receptors in the olfactory organ of the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus. Chem Senses 23:269-81
Cromarty, S I; Derby, C D (1998) Inhibitory receptor binding events among the components of complex mixtures contribute to mixture suppression in responses of olfactory receptor neurons of spiny lobsters. J Comp Physiol A 183:699-707
Cromarty, S I; Derby, C D (1997) Multiple excitatory receptor types on individual olfactory neurons: implications for coding of mixtures in the spiny lobster. J Comp Physiol A 180:481-91
Steullet, P; Derby, C D (1997) Coding of blend ratios of binary mixtures by olfactory neurons in the Florida spiny lobster, Panulirus argus. J Comp Physiol A 180:123-35
Wood, D E; Nishikawa, M; Derby, C D (1996) Proctolinlike immunoreactivity and identified neurosecretory cells as putative substrates for modulation of courtship display behavior in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. J Comp Neurol 368:153-63
Sung, D Y; Walthall, W W; Derby, C D (1996) Identification and partial characterization of putative taurine receptor proteins from the olfactory organ of the spiny lobster. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 115:19-26
Wood, D E; Derby, C D (1996) Distribution of dopamine-like immunoreactivity suggests a role for dopamine in the courtship display behavior of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. Cell Tissue Res 285:321-30
Olson, K S; Derby, C D (1995) Inhibition of taurine and 5'AMP olfactory receptor sites of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus by odorant compounds and mixtures. J Comp Physiol A 176:527-40

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