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Mapping the Distribution of Olfactory Epithelium in the Mouse Lemur ( Microcebus murinus ) During Development: A Model for Understanding Changes in Humans
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.984.5
Subject(s) - olfactory epithelium , vomeronasal organ , biology , anatomy , olfactory system , lemur , olfactory mucosa , neuroscience , primate
The human nose undergoes developmental change that may relate to respiratory/olfactory abilities. Of note is reported percentage decrease of olfactory epithelium (OE) compared to non‐olfactory epithelium (NOE). Though shown that OE surface area decreases relative to NOE during aging, the precise timeline has not been determined. This study investigates how the rostro‐caudal distribution of OE vs NOE relates to age/body size in our model, the mouse lemur ( Microcebus murinus ). Serially sectioned heads of fetal specimens from the Am Mus Natural History collections were examined for OE. Boundaries between OE/NOE were determined using several criteria, including presence/absence of cilia and layering of round nuclei. Based on preliminary data, it was found that OE lined 70–90% of the length of the nasal fossa of all fetuses. In an adult and neonate, OE lined 85% and 78% respectively. These findings show overlap in OE length in all age groups. Future study will now focus on assessing the entire surface area of the nasal region to assess differences that our initial approach did not uncover. Once the model is established, protocols will be expanded to include humans. Identifying the precise time of shifts in OE/NOE distribution in human newborns and infants will give insight into behavioral changes in respiratory/olfactory abilities at this time.