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At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Olfaction in zebrafish: what does a tiny teleost tell us?

Zebrafish, Danio rerio, possess a well-developed sense of smell which governs a variety of behaviors. Both the number of odorant receptor genes and the number of modules in the olfactory bulb (glomeruli) are about an order of magnitude smaller than those of mammals. Nevertheless, the spatial organization of functional properties within the sensory surface and the olfactory bulb are comparable to those of mammals. The quantitatively reduced olfactory system of zebrafish, together with the suitability of this species for developmental and genetic studies, make zebrafish an interesting model system to study olfactory differentiation and neuronal representation of olfactory information.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

The molecular basis of sensitivity and specificity in olfaction.

The signaling pathways for converting odorant stimuli from the environment into a signal that is interpreted by the brain has largely been elucidated. The current and formidable challenges lie in understanding the interactions among the second messenger pathways, determining the specificity of olfactory receptors in recognizing chemically similar odorants, and elucidating the regulatory pathways that confine receptor expression to a small subset of the olfactory neurons. It is the sum total of these contributions that result in the ability of the olfactory system to detect odorant with high sensitivity and specificity.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Olfaction in the Colorado potato beetle: ultrastructure of antennal sensilla in Leptinotarsa sp.

Sensillae on the antennae of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata are described using scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy and compared with SEM observations of antennal sensilla in L. haldemani and L. texana. In all the three species, 13 distinct sensillar types were identified with a higher density of sensilla in the more polyphagous species, L. decemlineata than in the moderately host specific L. haldemani and the highly host specific L. texana. Cuticular specializations and the predominance of olfactory sensilla are discussed in relation to host specificity in the three species.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The role of perireceptor events in vertebrate olfaction.

The perception of odours and pheromones is mediated by small soluble carrier proteins that belong to the family of lipocalins. Those secreted by the nasal mucosa are called odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) for their binding activity towards volatile compounds. Proteins of similar structure, which we call pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs), help to deliver volatile pheromones in the environment. They are present in high concentration in biological fluids, such as urine, saliva and vaginal discharge, involved in chemical communication between conspecifics. Several subclasses of OBPs have been identified in the same animal species, each best related to a particular group of PBPs. Such similarities, together with anatomical and behavioural evidence, suggest that OBPs may be involved in the perception of pheromones.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Olfaction in Parkinson's disease: methods of assessment and clinical relevance.

Several neurological conditions have been reported to be associated with peripheral or central deficits of olfactory system. In recent years particular emphasis has been placed on the early and severe olfactory impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD), in which limited neuropathological studies have revealed a marked dopaminergic deficit in the olfactory tubercles. Moreover, indirect evidence suggests that dysfunction of the dopaminergic pathways from mesencephalon to the piriform cortex may play a role in olfactory impairment in PD. A large number of clinical studies have reported that olfactory loss in idiopathic PD is bilateral, present in hemiparkinsonism, unrelated to the stage or clinical subtype of the disease, and independent of antiparkinsonian medication. In addition, major olfactory alterations have been reported in familial PD and dementia with Lewy bodies but not in progressive supranuclear palsy and essential tremor. These findings might stimulate further research targeted to determine the biological substrate of dissimilar olfactory performances in these movement disorders. The present review summarizes standardized procedures for the assessment of olfactory acuity (detection threshold), identification (multiple choice odor naming), discrimination (differentiation between similar/dissimilar odorants), and memory (recognition of a substance previously smelled). Specific suggestions concerning the psychometric and neuropsychological evaluation of PD patients are provided.

Humans↗