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Functional Analysis of the Guanylyl Cyclase Type D Signaling System in the Olfactory Epithelium
Author(s) -
Cockerham Renee E.,
LeindersZufall Trese,
Munger Steven D.,
Zufall Frank
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04104.x
Subject(s) - olfactory epithelium , olfactory receptor , population , olfactory system , microbiology and biotechnology , receptor , soluble guanylyl cyclase , olfaction , biology , neuroscience , signal transduction , chemistry , cyclase , guanylate cyclase , biochemistry , medicine , environmental health
The mammalian olfactory system recognizes a wide range of chemical stimuli. The majority of cells in the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) use a cAMP‐mediated signaling system to transduce odor signals. However, a subset of MOE neurons instead expresses components of a cGMP signaling cascade, including the receptor guanylyl cyclase GC‐D and the cyclic nucleotide‐gated channel subunit CNGA3. We used a combination of molecular biological, physiological, and imaging approaches to characterize this neuronal population. Neurons expressing GC‐D show excitatory responses to the natriuretic peptide hormones uroguanylin and guanylin, as well as to stimuli present in urine, that are dependent on both GC‐D and CNGA3. Though all GC‐D‐expressing neurons are highly sensitive to these stimuli, individual cells are differentially tuned to either one or both of the peptides. Together, these findings suggest that neurons expressing GC‐D are part of a specialized olfactory subsystem that is responsive to semiochemicals.