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Neurotrophins and their receptors in the primary olfactory neuraxis
Author(s) -
Carter Lindsay A.,
Roskams A. Jane
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.10148
Subject(s) - neuroscience , neurogenesis , neurotrophin , biology , olfactory system , olfactory ensheathing glia , olfactory epithelium , olfactory receptor , neurotrophic factors , axon guidance , axon , brain derived neurotrophic factor , nerve growth factor , receptor , central nervous system , olfactory bulb , biochemistry
Abstract The primary olfactory pathway is an elegant and simple system in which to study neurogenesis and neuronal plasticity because of the simple fact that olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) are continually generated throughout the adult lifetimes of vertebrates. Thus, neuronal birth, differentiation, survival, axon pathfinding, target recognition, synapse formation, and cell death are developmental events that can be examined in the mature olfactory epithelium (OE). Neurotrophins (nerve growth factor, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, and neurotrophin 3, and 4/5) are a family of bioactive peptides that exert their effects by interacting with high‐ and low‐affinity receptors on the surfaces of responsive cells, and have been implicated in several stages of neuronal development throughout the central and peripheral nervous system (CNS and PNS). There has been significant interest within the olfactory community as to how these multifunctional peptides might regulate the cycle of degeneration and regeneration of olfactory receptor neurons. The focus of this review is to highlight what is known about the actions of neurotrophins in the primary olfactory pathway, and to pinpoint future directions that will enable us to further understand their role in olfactory receptor neuron development and turnover. Microsc. Res. Tech. 58:189–196, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.