The olfactory organ gives rise to the olfactory sensory neurons and is also thought to give rise to a group of neuroendocrine cells containing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The cell bodies of the olfactory sensory neurons lie in the olfactory epithelium of the nose and during development their axons grow from this peripherally located sensory structure into the central nervous system (CNS). These sensory axons create a pathway, the olfactory nerve, connecting the peripheral and central nervous system. The neuroendocrine cells containing GnRH use the olfactory pathway to gain access to the CNS. Improper development of the olfactory pathway will lead not only to loss of sense of smell, but also to loss of reproductive neuroendocrine function crucial for the development of vertebrate animals, as evidenced by Kallman's Syndrome in humans. This proposal will present and test several hypothesis central to questions in developmental biology: 1) Cranial neural crest plays an inductive role in olfactory placode formation, 2) Neuroendocrine cells containing GnRH arise from cranial neural crest and not the olfactory placode, 3) Olfactory neurons expressing the same olfactory receptor type are related by lineage. Zebrafish will e used to address these questions because of the ability to mark cells and follow them in live embryos, manipulate cells in live embryos, and examine mutant phenotypes resulting from genetic screens in order to understand cellular interactions crucial to the early development of the olfactory system and its derivatives.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC004218-02
Application #
6379517
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-4 (01))
Program Officer
Davis, Barry
Project Start
2000-04-01
Project End
2005-03-31
Budget Start
2001-04-01
Budget End
2002-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$306,181
Indirect Cost
Name
Cornell University
Department
Biochemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Ithaca
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
14850
Ishak, Nadiah; Tikhomirova, Alexandra; Bent, Stephen J et al. (2014) There is a specific response to pH by isolates of Haemophilus influenzae and this has a direct influence on biofilm formation. BMC Microbiol 14:47
Whitlock, K E (2008) Developing a sense of scents: plasticity in olfactory placode formation. Brain Res Bull 75:340-7
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Whitlock, K E; Illing, N; Brideau, N J et al. (2006) Development of GnRH cells: Setting the stage for puberty. Mol Cell Endocrinol 254-255:39-50
Whitlock, Kathleen E; Smith, Kalmia M; Kim, Hannah et al. (2005) A role for foxd3 and sox10 in the differentiation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) cells in the zebrafish Danio rerio. Development 132:5491-502
Vitebsky, A; Reyes, R; Sanderson, M J et al. (2005) Isolation and characterization of the laure olfactory behavioral mutant in the zebrafish, Danio rerio. Dev Dyn 234:229-42
Whitlock, Kathleen E (2004) Development of the nervus terminalis: origin and migration. Microsc Res Tech 65:2-12
Whitlock, Kathleen E (2004) A new model for olfactory placode development. Brain Behav Evol 64:126-40
Gopinath, Ashok; Andrew Tseng, L; Whitlock, Kathleen E (2004) Temporal and spatial expression of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in the brain of developing zebrafish (Danio rerio). Gene Expr Patterns 4:65-70
Sanders, L H; Whitlock, K E (2003) Phenotype of the zebrafish masterblind (mbl) mutant is dependent on genetic background. Dev Dyn 227:291-300

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