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Role of interleukin‐15 in the development of mouse olfactory nerve
Author(s) -
Umehara Tsuyoshi,
Udagawa Jun,
Takamura Kaoru,
Kimura Mitsuhiro,
Ishimitsu Ryotaro,
Kiyono Hiroshi,
Kawauchi Hideyuki,
Otani Hiroki
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
congenital anomalies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1741-4520
pISSN - 0914-3505
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-4520.2009.00246.x
Subject(s) - neurogenesis , olfactory epithelium , knockout mouse , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroscience , precursor cell , central nervous system , interleukin 15 , olfactory system , olfactory ensheathing glia , olfaction , receptor , cell , interleukin , immunology , olfactory bulb , cytokine , biochemistry , genetics
Interleukin (IL)‐15 interacts with components of the IL‐2 receptor (R) and exhibits T cell‐stimulating activity similar to that of IL‐2. In addition, IL‐15 is widely expressed in many cell types and tissues, including the central nervous system. We provide evidence of a novel role of IL‐15 in olfactory neurogenesis. Both IL‐15 and IL‐15Rα were expressed in neuronal precursor cells of the developing olfactory epithelium in mice. Adult IL‐15Rα knockout mice had fewer mature olfactory neurons and proliferating cells than wild‐type. Our results suggest that IL‐15 plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation in olfactory neurogenesis.