Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Olfactory Neural Signaling from the Receptor to the Brain

  • Reference work entry
Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology

Abstract

The olfactory system is unique among the five sensory modalities in having both a wide range of sensor proteins, called olfactory receptors (ORs), and an extremely well-organized spatial neural projection pattern of sensory neurons. ORs expressed in olfactory neurons function as sensors of various odorants and comprise one of the largest multigene families in organisms from fish to primates. In addition, the expression of ORs, which is highly controlled by a one neuron-one OR rule, helps instruct the neural development of sensory neurons. This multi-role characteristic of ORs forms the molecular basis for a highly discriminative and sophisticated olfactory sensory system. In the last decade or so, it has become increasingly clear how neural signals of olfactory sensory neurons are transmitted and how odorant identity is represented as an odor map in the olfactory bulb and in the brain. Our current knowledge of the structure and function of ORs from the standpoints of molecular biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and neurobiology is reviewed, and also discuss how neural signaling in olfaction occurs between the receptor and the brain. Deciphering OR-mediated signaling should help us understand neural development and the plasticity of the olfactory sensory system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

CNG:

cyclic nucleotide-gated

DG:

2-deoxyglucose

EG:

eugenol

EOG:

electro-olfactography

GPCR:

G protein-coupled receptors

GRK:

G protein-coupled receptor kinase

MPOA-AH:

medial preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus

OB:

olfactory bulb

ORs:

olfactory receptors

PKA:

protein kinase A

References

  • Abaffy T, Matsunami H, Luetje CW. 2006. Functional analysis of a mammalian odorant receptor subfamily. J Neurochem 97: 1506–1518.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson AK, Christoff K, Stappen I, Panitz D, Ghahremani DG, et al. 2003. Dissociated neural representations of intensity and valence in human olfaction. Nat Neurosci 6: 196–202.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Araneda RC, Kini AD, Firestein S. 2000. The molecular receptive range of an odorant receptor. Nat Neurosci 3: 1248–1255.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balmer CW, LaMantia AS. 2005. Noses and neurons: Induction, morphogenesis, and neuronal differentiation in the peripheral olfactory pathway. Dev Dyn 234: 464–481.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barnea G, O’Donnell S, Mancia F, Sun X, Nemes A, et al. 2004. Odorant receptors on axon termini in the brain. Science 304: 1468.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beites CL, Kawauchi S, Crocker CE, Calof AL. 2005. Identification and molecular regulation of neural stem cells in the olfactory epithelium. Exp Cell Res 306: 309–316.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Belluscio L, Gold GH, Nemes A, Axel R. 1998. Mice deficient in G(olf) are anosmic. Neuron 20: 69–81.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Belluscio L, Lodovichi C, Feinstein P, Mombaerts P, Katz LC. 2002. Odorant receptors instruct functional circuitry in the mouse olfactory bulb. Nature 419: 296–300.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhandawat V, Reisert J, Yau KW. 2005. Elementary response of olfactory receptor neurons to odorants. Science 308: 1931–1934.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boehm U, Zou Z, Buck LB. 2005. Feedback loops link odor and pheromone signaling with reproduction. Cell 123: 683–695.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bozza T, Feinstein P, Zheng C, Mombaerts P. 2002. Odorant receptor expression defines functional units in the mouse olfactory system. J Neurosci 22: 3033–3043.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Breer H, Boekhoff I, Tareilus E. 1990. Rapid kinetics of second messenger formation in olfactory transduction. Nature 345: 65–68.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brunet LJ, Gold GH, Ngai J. 1996. General anosmia caused by a targeted disruption of the mouse olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel. Neuron 17: 681–693.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buck L, Axel R. 1991. A novel multigene family may encode odorant receptors: A molecular basis for odor recognition. Cell 65: 175–187.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buck LB. 2004. The search for odorant receptors. Cell 116: S117–S119, 111 p following S119.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chess A, Simon I, Cedar H, Axel R. 1994. Allelic inactivation regulates olfactory receptor gene expression. Cell 78: 823–834.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cutforth T, Moring L, Mendelsohn M, Nemes A, Shah NM, et al. 2003. Axonal ephrin-As and odorant receptors: Coordinate determination of the olfactory sensory map. Cell 114: 311–322.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dawson TM., Arriza JL, Jaworsky DE, Borisy FF, Attramadal H, et al. 1993. Beta-adrenergic receptor kinase-2 and beta-arrestin-2 as mediators of odorant-induced desensitization. Science 259: 825–829.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Araujo IE, Rolls ET, Velazco MI, Margot C, Cayeux I. 2005. Cognitive modulation of olfactory processing. Neuron 46: 671–679.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dhallan RS, Yau KW, Schrader KA, Reed RR. 1990. Primary structure and functional expression of a cyclic nucleotide-activated channel from olfactory neurons. Nature 347: 184–187.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ehlers A, Beck S, Forbes SA, Trowsdale J, Volz A. 2000. MHC-linked olfactory receptor loci exhibit polymorphism and contribute to extended HLA/OR-haplotypes. Genome Res 10: 1968–1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eklund AC, Belchak MM, Lapidos K, Raha-Chowdhury R, Ober C. 2000. Polymorphisms in the HLA-linked olfactory receptor genes in the Hutterites. Hum Immunol 61: 711–717.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feinstein P, Bozza T, Rodriguez I, Vassalli A, Mombaerts P. 2004. Axon guidance of mouse olfactory sensory neurons by odorant receptors and the beta2 adrenergic receptor. Cell 117: 833–846.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feinstein P, Mombaerts P. 2004. A contextual model for axonal sorting into glomeruli in the mouse olfactory system. Cell 117: 817–831.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Floriano WB, Vaidehi N, Goddard 3rd WA. 2004. Making sense of olfaction through predictions of the 3-D structure and function of olfactory receptors. Chem Senses 29: 269–290.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Floriano WB, Vaidehi N, Goddard 3rd WA, Singer MS, Shepherd GM. 2000. Molecular mechanisms underlying differential odor responses of a mouse olfactory receptor. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97: 10712–10716.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich RW, Korsching SI. 1997. Combinatorial and chemotopic odorant coding in the zebrafish olfactory bulb visualized by optical imaging. Neuron 18: 737–752.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fulle HJ, Vassar R, Foster DC, Yang RB, Axel R, et al. 1995. A receptor guanylyl cyclase expressed specifically in olfactory sensory neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92: 3571–3575.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gaillard I, Rouquier S, Pin JP, Mollard P, Richard S, et al. 2002. A single olfactory receptor specifically binds a set of odorant molecules. Eur J Neurosci 15: 409–418.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gilad Y, Wiebe V, Przeworski M, Lancet D, Paabo S. 2004. Loss of olfactory receptor genes coincides with the acquisition of full trichromatic vision in primates. PLoS Biol 2: E5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grosmaitre X, Vassalli A, Mombaerts P, Shepherd GM, Ma M. 2006. Odorant responses of olfactory sensory neurons expressing the odorant receptor MOR23: A patch clamp analysis in gene-targeted mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103: 1970–1975.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huard JM, Youngentob SL, Goldstein BJ, Luskin MB, Schwob JE. 1998. Adult olfactory epithelium contains multipotent progenitors that give rise to neurons and non-neural cells. J Comp Neurol 400: 469–486.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Imai T, Suzuki M, Sakano H. 2006. Odorant receptor-derived cAMP signals direct axonal targeting. Science 314: 657–661.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ishii T, Serizawa S, Kohda A, Nakatani H, Shiroishi T, et al. 2001. Monoallelic expression of the odourant receptor gene and axonal projection of olfactory sensory neurones. Genes Cells 6: 71–78.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iwema CL, Fang H, Kurtz DB, Youngentob SL, Schwob JE. 2004. Odorant receptor expression patterns are restored in lesion-recovered rat olfactory epithelium. J Neurosci 24: 356–369.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jacquier V, Prummer M, Segura JM, Pick H, Vogel H. 2006. Visualizing odorant receptor trafficking in living cells down to the single-molecule level. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103: 14325-14330.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Juilfs DM, Fulle HJ, Zhao AZ, Houslay MD, Garbers DL, et al. 1997. A subset of olfactory neurons that selectively express cGMP-stimulated phosphodiesterase (PDE2) and guanylyl cyclase-D define a unique olfactory signal transduction pathway. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94: 3388–3395.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kajiya K, Inaki K, Tanaka M, Haga T, Kataoka H, et al. 2001. Molecular bases of odor discrimination: Reconstitution of olfactory receptors that recognize overlapping sets of odorants. J Neurosci 21: 6018–6025.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaluza JF, Gussing F, Bohm S, Breer H, Strotmann J. 2004. Olfactory receptors in the mouse septal organ. J Neurosci Res 76: 442–452.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katada S, Hirokawa T, Oka Y, Suwa M, Touhara K. 2005. Structural basis for a broad but selective ligand spectrum of a mouse olfactory receptor: Mapping the odorant-binding site. J Neurosci 25: 1806–1815.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katada S, Nakagawa T, Kataoka H, Touhara K. 2003. Odorant response assays for a heterologously expressed olfactory receptor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 305: 964–969.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katada S, Tanaka M, Touhara K. 2004. Structural determinants for membrane trafficking and G protein selectivity of a mouse olfactory receptor. J Neurochem 90: 1453–1463.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krautwurst D, Yau KW, Reed RR. 1998. Identification of ligands for olfactory receptors by functional expression of a receptor library. Cell 95: 917–926.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kurahashi T, Menini A. 1997. Mechanism of odorant adaptation in the olfactory receptor cell. Nature 385: 725–729.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kurahashi T, Shibuya T. 1990. Ca2(+)-dependent adaptive properties in the solitary olfactory receptor cell of the newt. Brain Res 515: 261–268.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lane RP, Cutforth T, Young J, Athanasiou M, Friedman C, et al. 2001. Genomic analysis of orthologous mouse and human olfactory receptor loci. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98: 7390–7395.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lefkowitz RJ. 2004. Historical review: A brief history and personal retrospective of seven-transmembrane receptors. Trends Pharmacol Sci 25: 413–422.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leon M, Johnson BA. 2003. Olfactory coding in the mammalian olfactory bulb. Brain Res Brain Res Rev 42: 23–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Levasseur G, Persuy MA, Grebert D, Remy JJ, Salesse R, et al. 2003. Ligand-specific dose-response of heterologously expressed olfactory receptors. Eur J Biochem 270: 2905–2912.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewcock JW, Reed RR. 2004. A feedback mechanism regulates monoallelic odorant receptor expression. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101: 1069–1074.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin W, Arellano J, Slotnick B, Restrepo D. 2004. Odors detected by mice deficient in cyclic nucleotide-gated channel subunit A2 stimulate the main olfactory system. J Neurosci 24: 3703–3710.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malnic B, Hirono J, Sato T, Buck LB. 1999. Combinatorial receptor codes for odors. Cell 96: 713–723.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Man O, Gilad Y, Lancet D. 2004. Prediction of the odorant binding site of olfactory receptor proteins by human-mouse comparisons. Protein Sci 13: 240–254.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mashukova A, Spehr M, Hatt H, Neuhaus EM. 2006. Beta-arrestin2-mediated internalization of mammalian odorant receptors. J Neurosci 26: 9902–9912.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matarazzo V, Clot-Faybesse O, Marcet B, Guiraudie-Capraz G, Atanasova B, et al. 2005. Functional characterization of two human olfactory receptors expressed in the baculovirus Sf9 insect cell system. Chem Senses 30: 195–207.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer MR, Angele A, Kremmer E, Kaupp UB, Muller F. 2000. A cGMP-signaling pathway in a subset of olfactory sensory neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97: 10595–10600.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miyamichi K, Serizawa S, Kimura HM, Sakano H. 2005. Continuous and overlapping expression domains of odorant receptor genes in the olfactory epithelium determine the dorsal/ventral positioning of glomeruli in the olfactory bulb. J Neurosci 25: 3586–3592.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mombaerts P. 2004. Genes and ligands for odorant, vomeronasal and taste receptors. Nat Rev Neurosci 5: 263–278.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mombaerts P, Wang F, Dulac C, Chao SK, Nemes A, et al. 1996. Visualizing an olfactory sensory map. Cell 87: 675–686.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mori K, Nagao H, Yoshihara Y. 1999. The olfactory bulb: Coding and processing of odor molecule information. Science 286: 711–715.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mori K, Takahashi YK, Igarashi KM, Yamaguchi M. 2006. Maps of odorant molecular features in the Mammalian olfactory bulb. Physiol Rev 86: 409–433.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura T, Gold GH. 1987. A cyclic nucleotide-gated conductance in olfactory receptor cilia. Nature 325: 442–444.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nef P, Hermans-Borgmeyer I, Artieres-Pin H, Beasley L, Dionne VE, et al. 1992. Spatial pattern of receptor expression in the olfactory epithelium. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 89: 8948–8952.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ngai J, Chess A, Dowling MM, Necles N, Macagno ER, et al. 1993. Coding of olfactory information: Topography of odorant receptor expression in the catfish olfactory epithelium. Cell 72: 667–680.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niimura Y, Nei M. 2005a. Comparative evolutionary analysis of olfactory receptor gene clusters between humans and mice. Gene 346: 13–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niimura Y, Nei M. 2005b. Evolutionary dynamics of olfactory receptor genes in fishes and tetrapods. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102: 6039–6044.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norlin EM, Alenius M, Gussing F, Hagglund M, Vedin V, et al. 2001. Evidence for gradients of gene expression correlating with zonal topography of the olfactory sensory map. Mol Cell Neurosci 18: 283–295.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oka Y, Katada S, Omura M, Suwa M, Yoshihara Y, et al. 2006. Odorant receptor map in the mouse olfactory bulb: In vivo sensitivity and specificity of receptor-defined glomeruli. Neuron 52: 857-869.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oka Y, Nakamura A, Watanabe H, Touhara K. 2004a. An odorant derivative as an antagonist for an olfactory receptor. Chem Senses 29: 815–822.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oka Y, Omura M, Kataoka H, Touhara K. 2004b. Olfactory receptor antagonism between odorants. EMBO J 23: 120–126.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Omura M, Sekine H, Shimizu T, Kataoka H, Touhara K. 2003. In situ Ca2+ imaging of odor responses in a coronal olfactory epithelium slice. Neuroreport 14: 1123–1127.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pace U, Hanski E, Salomon Y, Lancet D. 1985. Odorant-sensitive adenylate cyclase may mediate olfactory reception. Nature 316: 255–258.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peppel K, Boekhoff I, McDonald P, Breer H, Caron MG, et al. 1997. G protein-coupled receptor kinase 3 (GRK3) gene disruption leads to loss of odorant receptor desensitization. J Biol Chem 272: 25425–25428.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pifferi S, Pascarella G, Boccaccio A, Mazzatenta A, Gustincich S, et al. 2006. Bestrophin-2 is a candidate calcium-activated chloride channel involved in olfactory transduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103: 12929–12934.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pilpel Y, Lancet D. 1999. The variable and conserved interfaces of modeled olfactory receptor proteins. Protein Sci 8: 969–977.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prices JL. 1990. Olfactory system. The Human Nervous System. Paxinos G, editor. San Diego, CA: Academic Press; pp. 979–1001.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qasba P, Reed RR. 1998. Tissue and zonal-specific expression of an olfactory receptor transgene. J Neurosci 18: 227–236.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quignon P, Giraud M, Rimbault M, Lavigne P, Tacher S, et al. 2005. The dog and rat olfactory receptor repertoires. Genome Biol 6: R83.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ressler KJ, Sullivan SL, Buck LB. 1993. A zonal organization of odorant receptor gene expression in the olfactory epithelium. Cell 73: 597–609.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ressler KJ, Sullivan SL, Buck LB. 1994. Information coding in the olfactory system: Evidence for a stereotyped and highly organized epitope map in the olfactory bulb. Cell 79: 1245–1255.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin BD, Katz LC. 1999. Optical imaging of odorant representations in the mammalian olfactory bulb. Neuron 23: 499–511.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saito H, Kubota M, Roberts RW, Chi Q, Matsunami H. 2004. RTP family members induce functional expression of mammalian odorant receptors. Cell 119: 679–691.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Savic I, Berglund H, Gulyas B, Roland P. 2001. Smelling of odorous sex hormone-like compounds causes sex-differentiated hypothalamic activations in humans. Neuron 31: 661–668.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Savic I, Berglund H, Lindstrom P. 2005. Brain response to putative pheromones in homosexual men. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102: 7356–7361.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer ML, Young DA, Restrepo D. 2001. Olfactory fingerprints for major histocompatibility complex-determined body odors. J Neurosci 21: 2481–2487.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schild D, Restrepo D. 1998. Transduction mechanisms in vertebrate olfactory receptor cells. Physiol Rev 78: 429–466.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schleicher S, Boekhoff I, Arriza J, Lefkowitz RJ, Breer H. 1993. A beta-adrenergic receptor kinase-like enzyme is involved in olfactory signal termination. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90: 1420–1424.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzenbacher K, Fleischer J, Breer H. 2005. Formation and maturation of olfactory cilia monitored by odorant receptor-specific antibodies. Histochem Cell Biol 123: 419–428.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzenbacher K, Fleischer J, Breer H. 2006. Odorant receptor proteins in olfactory axons and in cells of the cribriform mesenchyme may contribute to fasciculation and sorting of nerve fibers. Cell Tissue Res 323: 211–219.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwob JE. 2002. Neural regeneration and the peripheral olfactory system. Anat Rec 269: 33–49.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Serizawa S, Ishii T, Nakatani H, Tsuboi A, Nagawa F, et al. 2000. Mutually exclusive expression of odorant receptor transgenes. Nat Neurosci 3: 687–693.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Serizawa S, Miyamichi K, Nakatani H, Suzuki M, Saito M, et al. 2003. Negative feedback regulation ensures the one receptor-one olfactory neuron rule in mouse. Science 302: 2088–2094.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Serizawa S, Miyamichi K, Sakano H. 2004. One neuron-one receptor rule in the mouse olfactory system. Trends Genet 20: 648–653.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Serizawa S, Miyamichi K, Takeuchi H, Yamagishi Y, Suzuki M, et al. 2006. A neuronal identity code for the odorant receptor-specific and activity-dependent axon sorting. Cell 127: 1057–1069.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd GM, Chen WR, Greer CA. 2004. Olfactory bulb. The Synaptic Organization of the Brain. Shepherd GM, editor. New York: Oxford University Press; pp. 165–216.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Shipley MT, Ennis M. 1996. Functional organization of olfactory system. J Neurobiol 30: 123–176.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shirokova E, Schmiedeberg K, Bedner P, Niessen H, Willecke K, et al. 2005. Identification of specific ligands for orphan olfactory receptors. G protein-dependent agonism and antagonism of odorants. J Biol Chem 280: 11807–11815.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shykind BM. 2005. Regulation of odorant receptors: One allele at a time. Hum Mol Genet 14 (Spec No 1): R33–R39.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shykind BM, Rohani SC, O’Donnell S, Nemes A, Mendelsohn M, et al. 2004. Gene switching and the stability of odorant receptor gene choice. Cell 117: 801–815.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singer MS. 2000. Analysis of the molecular basis for octanal interactions in the expressed rat 17 olfactory receptor. Chem Senses 25: 155–165.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singer MS, Weisinger-Lewin Y, Lancet D, Shepherd GM. 1996. Positive selection moments identify potential functional residues in human olfactory receptors. Receptors Channels 4: 141–147.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sklar PB, Anholt RR, Snyder SH. 1986. The odorant-sensitive adenylate cyclase of olfactory receptor cells. Differential stimulation by distinct classes of odorants. J Biol Chem 261: 15538–15543.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spehr M, Gisselmann G, Poplawski A, Riffell JA, Wetzel CH, et al. 2003. Identification of a testicular odorant receptor mediating human sperm chemotaxis. Science 299: 2054–2058.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strader CD, Fong TM, Tota MR, Underwood D. 1994. Structure and function of G protein-coupled receptors. Annu Rev Biochem 63: 101–132.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strotmann J, Hoppe R, Conzelmann S, Feinstein P, Mombaerts P, et al. 1999. Small subfamily of olfactory receptor genes: Structural features, expression pattern and genomic organization. Gene 236: 281–291.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strotmann J, Levai O, Fleischer J, Schwarzenbacher K, Breer H. 2004. Olfactory receptor proteins in axonal processes of chemosensory neurons. J Neurosci 24: 7754–7761.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strotmann J, Wanner I, Helfrich T, Beck A, Breer H. 1994. Rostro-caudal patterning of receptor-expressing olfactory neurones in the rat nasal cavity. Cell Tissue Res 278: 11–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strotmann J, Wanner I, Helfrich T, Breer H. 1995. Receptor expression in olfactory neurons during rat development: In situ hybridization studies. Eur J Neurosci 7: 492–500.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strotmann J, Wanner I, Krieger J, Raming K, Breer H. 1992. Expression of odorant receptors in spatially restricted subsets of chemosensory neurones. Neuroreport 3: 1053–1056.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan SL, Adamson MC, Ressler KJ, Kozak CA, Buck LB. 1996. The chromosomal distribution of mouse odorant receptor genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93: 884–888.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan SL, Bohm S, Ressler KJ, Horowitz LF, Buck LB. 1995. Target-independent pattern specification in the olfactory epithelium. Neuron 15: 779–789.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tacher S, Quignon P, Rimbault M, Dreano S, Andre C, et al. 2005. Olfactory receptor sequence polymorphism within and between breeds of dogs. J Hered 96: 812–816.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tian H, Ma M. 2004. Molecular organization of the olfactory septal organ. J Neurosci 24: 8383–8390.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Touhara K. 2002. Odor discrimination by G protein-coupled olfactory receptors. Microsc Res Tech 58: 135–141.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Touhara K, Katada S, Nakagawa T, Oka Y. 2006. Ligand screening of olfactory receptors. G Protein-Coupled Receptors: Structure, Function, and Ligand Screening. Haga T, Takeda S, editors. Boca Raton, FL: CRC press; pp. 85–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Touhara K, Sengoku S, Inaki K, Tsuboi A, Hirono J, et al. 1999. Functional identification and reconstitution of an odorant receptor in single olfactory neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96: 4040–4045.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsunenari T, Nathans J, Yau KW. 2006. Ca2+ -activated Cl− current from human bestrophin-4 in excised membrane patches. J Gen Physiol 127: 749–754.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Uchida N, Takahashi YK, Tanifuji M, Mori K. 2000. Odor maps in the mammalian olfactory bulb: Domain organization and odorant structural features. Nat Neurosci 3: 1035–1043.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vassalli A, Rothman A, Feinstein P, Zapotocky M, Mombaerts P. 2002. Minigenes impart odorant receptor-specific axon guidance in the olfactory bulb. Neuron 35: 681–696.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vassar R, Chao SK, Sitcheran R, Nunez JM, Vosshall LB, et al. 1994. Topographic organization of sensory projections to the olfactory bulb. Cell 79: 981–991.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vassar R, Ngai J, Axel R. 1993. Spatial segregation of odorant receptor expression in the mammalian olfactory epithelium. Cell 74: 309–318.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Von Dannecker LE, Mercadante AF, Malnic B. 2006. Ric-8B promotes functional expression of odorant receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 103: 9310–9314.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wachowiak M, Cohen LB. 2001. Representation of odorants by receptor neuron input to the mouse olfactory bulb. Neuron 32: 723–735.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang F, Nemes A, Mendelsohn M, Axel R. 1998. Odorant receptors govern the formation of a precise topographic map. Cell 93: 47–60.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wei J, Zhao AZ, Chan GC, Baker LP, Impey S, et al. 1998. Phosphorylation and inhibition of olfactory adenylyl cyclase by CaM kinase II in neurons: A mechanism for attenuation of olfactory signals. Neuron 21: 495–504.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weth F, Nadler W, Korsching S. 1996. Nested expression domains for odorant receptors in zebrafish olfactory epithelium. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93: 13321–13326.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wetzel CH, Oles M, Wellerdieck C, Kuczkowiak M, Gisselmann G, et al. 1999. Specificity and sensitivity of a human olfactory receptor functionally expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells and Xenopus laevis. oocytes. J Neurosci 19: 7426–7433.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wong ST, Trinh K, Hacker B, Chan GC, Lowe G, et al. 2000. Disruption of the type III adenylyl cyclase gene leads to peripheral and behavioral anosmia in transgenic mice. Neuron 27: 487–497.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu F, Greer CA, Shepherd GM. 2000. Odor maps in the olfactory bulb. J Comp Neurol 422: 489–495.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu F, Liu N, Kida I, Rothman DL, Hyder F, et al. 2003. Odor maps of aldehydes and esters revealed by functional MRI in the glomerular layer of the mouse olfactory bulb. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 100: 11029–11034.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yoon H, Enquist LW, Dulac C. 2005. Olfactory inputs to hypothalamic neurons controlling reproduction and fertility. Cell 123: 669–682.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Young JM, Shykind BM, Lane RP, Tonnes-Priddy L, Ross JA, et al. 2003. Odorant receptor expressed sequence tags demonstrate olfactory expression of over 400 genes, extensive alternate splicing and unequal expression levels. Genome Biol 4: R71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Young JM, Trask BJ. 2002. The sense of smell: Genomics of vertebrate odorant receptors. Hum Mol Genet 11: 1153–1160.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zelano C, Sobel N. 2005. Humans as an animal model for systems-level organization of olfaction. Neuron 48: 431–454.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Firestein S. 2002. The olfactory receptor gene superfamily of the mouse. Nat Neurosci 5: 124–133.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Rogers M, Tian H, Zou DJ, Liu J, et al. 2004. High-throughput microarray detection of olfactory receptor gene expression in the mouse. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101: 14168–14173.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao H, Ivic L, Otaki JM, Hashimoto M, Mikoshiba K, et al. 1998. Functional expression of a mammalian odorant receptor. Science 279: 237–242.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou Z, Buck LB. 2006. Combinatorial effects of odorant mixes in olfactory cortex. Science 311: 1477–1481.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou Z, Horowitz LF, Montmayeur JP, Snapper S, Buck LB. 2001. Genetic tracing reveals a stereotyped sensory map in the olfactory cortex. Nature 414: 173–179.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou Z, Li F, Buck LB. 2005. Odor maps in the olfactory cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 102: 7724–7729.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zozulya S, Echeverri F, Nguyen T. 2001. The human olfactory receptor repertoire. Genome Biol 2: RESEARCH0018.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zufall F, Shepherd GM, Firestein S. 1991. Inhibition of the olfactory cyclic nucleotide gated ion channel by intracellular calcium. Proc Biol Sci 246: 225–230.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank members of Touhara lab for providing data. This work was supported in part by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture (MEXT), the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), and the Program for Promotion of Basic Research Activities for Innovative Biosciences (PROBRAIN) in Japan.

Authors
  1. K. Touhara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Neurochemistry, Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, 10962, 140 Old Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, New York, USA

    Abel Lajtha (Director) (Director)

  2. Group Director of Neuro-Developmental Disorder Research Group, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 351-0198, 2-1 Hirosawa Wako-shi, Saitama, Japan

    Katsuhiko Mikoshiba

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this entry

Cite this entry

Touhara, K. (2009). Olfactory Neural Signaling from the Receptor to the Brain. In: Lajtha, A., Mikoshiba, K. (eds) Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30370-3_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation