Transcript 03/14 PPT
The sense of smell
Outline
Main Olfactory System
Odor Detection
Odor Coding
Accessory Olfactory System
Pheromone Detection
Pheromone Coding
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Human experiment: How well do we taste without smell?
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Brief Anatomy of the Olfactory System
mucus
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Olfactory neurons respond to odors
Cineole
Isoamyl Acetate
Acetophenone
neuron 1
neuron 2
neuron 3
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Firestein et al., J Physiol. 1993
Olfactory Receptors are G Protein Coupled Receptors
(GPCRs)
• largest family of receptors
• hydrophobic/ hydrophilic
domains
• seven transmembrane regions
• Ligand-binding domain in plane
of membrane (TM3,5,6)
• G protein binding domain in
loop 3 (btwn TM 5 and 6)
and C-terminus
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Humans have about 370 odorant receptors
Mice have about 1000
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Each olfactory neuron contains one receptor
1. Each receptor is in 0.1% of cells
2. Ten receptors are in 1% of cells
3. Isolated olfactory neuron makes mRNA for only one receptor
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In the Nose:
Neurons express one receptor
Neurons with the same receptor are in random locations
How is olfactory information mapped in the bulb?
Topographic map?
Odorant receptor map?
Complex map?
Receptor map (labeled lines)
Complex map (mixed lines)
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Neurons with the same receptor (blue)
send axons to the same place
Epithelium to bulb
Bulb cross-section
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Neurons with same receptor send axons to one glomerulus
Neurons with different receptors project to different glomeruli
The olfactory system uses labeled lines
Map of odor receptors!!!
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Glomerular structure is a general feature of olfactory systems
• Fruit flies have 60 different receptors
• Neurons with the same receptor project to one glomerulus
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Basic Feature of Coding in the Olfactory Bulb
Bulb
Olfactory neurons express
1 out of 1000 receptors
Neurons with the same receptor
converge on single glomeruli
in olfactory bulb.
The glomeruli serve as
modules, and are selectively
sensitive to particular odors
Epithelium
Model: Different odors activate different brain regions
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Is there a map of different smells in the brain?
Plan: monitor neural activation in the brain
Technologies: calcium-sensitive dyes, voltage-sensitive dyes and
intrinsic signals (changes in blood flow, oxygen levels)
Results:
•Odors activate a few glomeruli
•Same glomeruli activated on repeated exposure
•Different odors activate different glomeruli
Raw data
C6 odor 2 times
C3 odor then C6 odor
Response of Olfactory Bulbs to
an Odorant Molecule, with
the Use of a Voltage Sensitive
Dye.
Rat olfactory bulb, olfactory imaging
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Open questions in olfaction
How does an olfactory neuron choose only one receptor?
How do neurons find the right glomerulus?
How are odors processed by the brain?
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The receptor is involved in axon guidance
Expt: Replace one M 72 receptor with M71, targets to M71 glomerulus
A. M71 promoter-M71receptor-GFP B. M71 promoter- M71 receptor--RFP C. co-label
A
B
C
D. M71 promoter-M71receptor-GFP E. M72 promoter- M72 receptor--RFP F. co-label
D
E
F
M71 promoter-M71receptor-GFP M72 promoter- M71 receptor--RFP G. co-label
G
Replace one receptor with another, targeting changes
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Signal Transduction in the Olfactory Epithelium
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Cellular Structure of Olfactory Bulbs
Receptor Cells
Olfactory Nerve
Glomeruli
Periglomerular Cells
Mitral/Tufted Cells
Granule Cells
Lateral Olfactory Tract
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Central Pathways of the Olfactory System
1. Olfactory sensory neurons project directly to the brain
2. From the olfactory bulb, information is sent to
five different brain regions
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People sniff when they imagine pleasant odors
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Accessory Olfactory System
The Second Nose: the Vomeronasal organ
• detects pheromones (chemical cues secreted by animals)
• best evidence of pheromones in insects, many mammals
• triggers stereotyped behaviors (mating and fighting)
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The two noses in a mouse
(vomeronasal organ)
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How does the
How does the VNO sense pheromones?
• Two large families of receptors (GPCRS)
• Not related to olfactory receptors
• Logic similar: one receptor per cell
• Projections different: neurons with same receptor
project to many little glomeruli
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Anatomy in the Vomeronasal System
One receptor per neuron
Neurons with same receptor project to many “glomeruli”
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Signal Transduction in the Vomeronasal System
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What happens to mice when their VNO doesn’t work?
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Do humans sense pheromones thru the VNO?
• There is a VNO
• There is not an Accessory Olfactory Bulb
• TRP channel is a pseudogene
• VNO receptors are pseudogenes
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Main points about the olfactory system
1) Lots of receptors
2) One receptor per cell
3) Labeled lines in the olfactory bulb
4) Maps of different smells
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