GAL4-driven targeted expression of tetanus toxin light chain (UAS-TeTxLC) in a subset of chemosensory neurons of the larval antennomaxillary complex (AMC) and pharynx causes abnormal chemosensory behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. Consistent with strongest staining in the dorsal organ (DO), the presumed olfactory organ of the AMC, tetanus toxin-expressing larvae subjected to an olfactory pref...

Traditionally, the olfactory epithelium is considered to recognize conventional odors, while the vomeronasal organ detects pheromones. However, recent advances suggest that vertebrate pheromones can also be detected by the olfactory epithelium. In the vomeronasal organ and the olfactory epithelium, structurally distinct multiple receptor families are expressed. In rodents, two of these receptor...

The cephalopod olfactory organ was described for the first time in 1844 by von Kölliker, who was attracted to the pair of small pits of ciliated cells on each side of the head, below the eyes close to the mantle edge, in both octopuses and squids. Several functional studies have been conducted on decapods but very little is known about octopods. The morphology of the octopus olfactory system ha...

Zinc sulfate is a known olfactory toxicant, although its specific effects on the olfactory epithelium of zebrafish are unknown. Olfactory organs of adult zebrafish were exposed to zinc sulfate and, after 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 or 14 days, fish were processed for histological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and behavioral analyses. Severe morphological disruption of the olfactory organ was observ...

Proliferation and turnover of neurons occurs in the olfactory systems of many animals. In this study, we examined developmental changes in turnover in the olfactory organ of the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus by examining two life-history stages-early juveniles and young adults. Turnover was compared using external morphology of the olfactory organ before and after molting to determine...

The vomeronasal organ, a sensory structure within the olfactory system, detects chemical signals that affect social and sexual behaviors and that elicit responses to predator odors. A recent study demonstrates that innate avoidance of sick conspecifics requires an intact vomeronasal organ, expanding the repertoire of biological functions known to be mediated by this olfactory subsystem.

To determine if there is a spatial segregation of responsiveness to odorants within the olfactory epithelium, microelectrode recordings were obtained from small populations of olfactory receptor neurons located across different lamellar sensory regions of the olfactory organ of the channel catfish, lctalurus punctatus. Stimuli included L-alanine, L-methionine, L-arginine hydrochloride, L-glutam...

Phylogenic outline of the vertebrate olfactory system is summarized in the present review. In the fish and the birds, the olfactory system consists only of the olfactory epithelium (OE) and the olfactory bulb (B). In the amphibians, reptiles and mammals, the olfactory system is subdivided into the main olfactory and the vomeronasal olfactory systems, and the former consists of the OE and the ma...

A cDNA clone encoding a protein of 1116 amino acids with significant homology to beta-isoforms of phospholipase C was isolated from lobster olfactory organ cDNA libraries and named lobPLCbeta. This cDNA hybridized predominantly to a 9 kb transcript in RNA from olfactory organ, pereiopod, brain, and eye-eyestalk and to several smaller minor transcripts only in eye-eyestalk. An antiserum raised t...

The septal organ in the mammalian nose is a distinct chemosensory organ sitting in the air path. To gain insights into its organization and function, we analyzed the chemoreceptors expressed in this area. By combining cDNA cloning, Affymetrix (Santa Clara, CA) genechips covering all the mouse olfactory receptor genes, and in situ hybridization, we achieved a relatively complete expression profi...