Abstract
Two different polyclonal antibodies were raised to synthetic peptides corresponding to distinct putative odour receptors of rat and mouse. Both antibodies selectively labelled olfactory cilia as seen with cryofixation and immunogold ultrastructural procedures. Regions of the olfactory organ where label was detected were consistent with those found at LM levels. Immunopositive cells were rare; only up to about 0.4% of these receptor cells were labelled. Despite chemical, species, and topographic differences both antibodies behaved identically in their ultrastructural labelling patterns. For both antibodies, labelling was very specific for olfactory cilia; both bound amply to the thick proximal and the thinner and long distal parts of the cilia. Dendritic knobs showed little labelling if any. Dendritic receptor cell structures below the knobs, supporting cell structures, and respiratory cilia did not immunolabel. There were no obvious differences in morphology between labelled and unlabelled receptor cells and their cilia. Labelling could be followed up to a distance of about 15 μm from the knobs along the distal parts of the cilia. When labelled cells were observed, this signal was detectable in two, sometimes three, sections taken through these cells while being consistently absent in neighbouring cells. This pattern argues strongly for the specificity of the labelling. In conclusion, very few receptor cells labelled with the antibodies to putative odour receptors. Additionally the olfactory cilia, the cellular regions that first encounter odour molecules and that are thought to transduce the odorous signal, displayed the most intense labelling with both antibodies. Consequently, the results showed these cilia as having many copies of the putative receptors. Finally, similar patterns of subcellular labelling were displayed in two different species, despite the use of different antibodies. Thus, this study provides compelling evidence that the heptahelical putative odour receptors localize in the olfactory cilia.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asanuma, N. & Nomura, H. (1991) Cytochemical localization of adenylate cyclase activity in rat olfactory cells. Histochemical Journal 23, 83–90.
Berod, A., Hartman, B. K. & Pujol, J. F. (1981) Importance of fixation in immunocytochemistry: use of formaldehyde solutions at variable pH for the localization of tyrosine hydroxylase. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 29, 844–50.
Bittermann, A. G., Knoll, G., NÉmeth, A. & Plattner, H. (1992) Quantitative immuno-gold labeling and ultrastructural preservation after cryofixation (combined with different freeze-substitution and embedding protocols) and after chemical fixation and cryosectioning. Histochemistry 97, 421–9.
Breer, H., (ed.) (1994) Biology of the Olfactory System. Seminars in Cell Biology 5 (1).
Breer, H., Wanner, I. & Strotmann, J. (1996) Molecular genetics of mammalian olfaction. Behavioral Genetics 26, 209–19.
Brunet, L. J., Gold, G. H. & Ngai, J. (1996) General anosmia caused by a targeted disruption of the mouse cyclic nucleotide gated cation channel. Neuron 17, 681–93.
Buck, L. B. (1996) Information coding in the vertebrate olfactory system. Annual Reviews in Neurosciences 19, 517–44.
Buck, L. & Axel, R. (1991) A novel multigene family may encode odorant receptors: a molecular basis for odor recognition. Cell 65, 157–67.
Byrd, C. A., Jones, J. T., Quattro, J. M., Rogers, M. E., Brunjes, P. C. & Vogt, R. G. (1996) Ontogeny of odorant receptor gene expression in zebrafish, Danio rerio. Journal of Neurobiology 29, 445–58.
Chaudhari, N., Yang, H., Lamp, C., Delay, E., Cartford, C., Than, T. & Roper, S. (1996) The taste of monosodium glutamate: membrane receptors in taste buds. Journal of Neuroscience 16, 3817–26.
Chess, A., Simon, I., Cedar, H. & Axel, R. (1994) Allelic inactivation regulates olfactory receptor gene expression. Cell 78, 823–34.
Cunningham, A. M., Ryugo, D. K., Sharp, A. H., Reed, R. R., Snyder, S. H. & Ronnett, G. V. (1993) Neuronal inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor localized to the plasma membrane of olfactory cilia. Neuroscience 57, 339–52.
Dellacorte, C., Restrepo, D., Menco, B. PH. M., Andreini, I. & Kalinoski, D. L. (1996) Gaq/Ga11: immunolocalization in the neuroepithelium of the rat (Rattus rattus) and the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Neuroscience 74, 261–73.
Dhallan, R. S., Yan, K.-W., Schrader, K. A. & Reed, R. R. (1990) Primary structure and functional expression of a cyclic nucleotide-activated channel from olfactory neurons. Nature 347, 184–7.
Eldred, W. D., Zucker, C., Karten, H. J. & Yazulla, S. (1983) Comparison of fixation and penetration enhancement techniques for use in ultrastructural immunocytochemistry. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 2, 285–92.
Finger, T. E. & BÖttger, B. (1993) Peripheral peptidergic fibers of the trigeminal nerve in the olfactory bulb of the rat. Journal of Comparative Neurology 334, 117–24.
Finger, T. E., Bryant, B. P., Kalinoski, D. L., Teeter, J. H., BÖttger, B., Grosvenor, M., Cagan, R. H. & Brand, J. C. (1996) Differential localization of putative amino acid receptors in taste buds of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Journal of Comparative Neurology 373, 129–38.
Firestein, S. (1996) Scentsational ion channels. Neuron 17, 803–6.
Harrington, C., Buckland, M., Levy, N., Reed, R. & Cunningham, A. (1997) Odorant receptor proteins: expression in olfactory axons and olfactory bulb glomeruli supports a role in axonal guidance and/or target recognition. Chemical Senses 22, 181–182, abstract 2.
Kalinoski, D. L., Dellacorte, C., Menco, B. PH. M. & Restrepo, D. (1994) Localization of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors in the olfactory neuroepithelium of the rat and channel catfish. Chemical Senses 19, 493, abstract 137.
Kiefer, H., Krieger, J., Olszewski, J. D., Von Heijne, S., Prestwich, G. D. & Breer, H. (1996) Expression of olfactory receptor in Escherichia coli: purification, and ligand binding. Biochemistry 35, 16077–84.
Koshimoto, H., Katoh, K., Yoshihara, Y. & Mori, K. (1992) Distribution of putative odour receptor proteins in olfactory epithelium. NeuroReport 3, 521–3.
Koshimoto, H., Katoh, K., Yoshihara, Y., Nemoto, Y. & Mori, K. (1994) Immunohistochemical demonstration of embryonic expression of an odor receptor protein and its zonal distribution in the rat olfactory epithelium. Neuroscience Letters 169, 73–6.
Krieger, J., Schleicher, S., Strotmann, J., Wanner, I., Boekhoff, I., Raming, K., De Geus, P. & Breer, H. (1994) Probing olfactory receptors with sequence-specific antibodies. European Journal of Biochemistry 219, 829–35.
Lancet, D. (1986) Vertebrate olfactory reception. Annual Reviews in Neurosciences 9, 329–55.
Lancet, D. (1994) Exclusive receptors. Nature 372, 321–2.
Leibovici, M., Lapointe, F., Aletta, P. & Ayer-le liÈvre, C. (1996) Avian olfactory receptors: differentiation of olfactory neurons under normal and experimental conditions. Developmental Biology 175, 118–31.
Leunissen, J. L. M. (1990) Background suppression using Aurion BSA-C and/or Tween-20'. Aurion Newsletter 1.
Menco, B. PH. M. (1980a) Qualitative and quantitative freeze-fracture studies on olfactory and nasal respiratory epithelial surfaces of frog, ox, rat, and dog. II. Cell apices, cilia, and microvilli. Cell and Tissue Research 211, 5–30.
Menco, B. PH. M. (1980b) Qualitative and quantitative freeze-fracture studies on olfactory and nasal respiratory epithelial surfaces of frog, ox, rat, and dog. IV. Ciliogenesis and ciliary necklaces (including highvoltage observations). Cell and Tissue Research 212, 1–16.
Menco, B. Ph. M. (1983) The ultrastructure of olfactory and nasal respiratory epithelium surfaces. In Nasal Tumors in Animals and Man, Vol. 1, Anatomy, Physiology and Epidemiology (edited by Reznik, G. & Stinson, S. F.) pp. 45–102. Boca Raton: CRC Press Inc.
Menco, B. PH. M. (1992) Lectins bind differentially to cilia and microvilli of major and minor cell populations in olfactory and nasal respiratory epithelia. Microscopy Research and Technique 23, 181–99.
Menco, B. PH. M. (1994) Ultrastructural aspects of olfactory transduction and perireceptor events. Seminars in Cell Biology 5, 11–24.
Menco, B. PH. M. (1995a) Scanning-and transmission electron microscopy of olfaction. In Experimental Cell Biology of Taste and Olfaction. Current Techniques and Protocols (edited by Spielman, A. I. & Brand, J. G.) pp. 115–25. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
Menco, B. PH. M. (1995b) Freeze-fracture, deep-etch, and freeze-substitution studies of olfactory epithelia, with special emphasis on immunocytochemical variables. Microscopy Research and Technique 32, 337–56.
Menco, B. PH. M. (1997) Ultrastructural aspects of olfactory signaling. Chemical Senses 22, 295–311.
Menco, B. PH. M., Bruch, R. C., Dau, B. & Danho, W. (1992) Ultrastructural localization of olfactory transduction components: the G protein subunit Golfα and type III adenylyl cyclase. Neuron 8, 441–53.
Menco, B. PH. M., Cunningham, A. M., Qasba, P., Levy, N. & Reed, R. R. (1997) Putative odor receptors localize in cilia of olfactory receptor cells in rat and mouse. Chemical Senses 22, 182, abstract 3.
Menco, B. PH. M. & Jackson, J. E. (1997) A banded topography in the developing rat's olfactory epithelial surface. Journal of Comparative Neurology, in press.
Menco, B. PH. M., Matsuzaki, O., Bakin, R. E., Ronnett, G. V., Strotmann, J. & Breer, H. (1995) Ultrastructural localization of putative odor receptors And cyclic nucleotide-gated channels in rat olfactory Epithelia. Chemical Senses 20, 742, abstract 191.
Menco, B. PH. M., Tekula, F. D., Farbman, A. I. & Danho, W. (1994) Developmental expression of Gproteins And adenylyl cyclase in peripheral olfactory Systems. Light microscopic and freeze-substitution electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. Journal of Neurocytology 23, 708–27.
Mori, K. & Yoshihara, Y. (1995) Molecular recognition and olfactory processing in the mammalian olfactory system. Progress in Neurobiology 45, 585–619.
Nakamura, T., Lee, H.-H., Kobayashi, H. & Satoh, T.-O. (1996) Gated conductances in native and reconstituted membranes from frog olfactory cilia. Biophysical Journal 70, 813–17.
Ngai, J., Chess, A., Dowling, M. M., Necles, N., Macagno, E. R. & Axel, R. (1993) Coding of olfactory information: topography of odorant receptor expression in the catfish olfactory epithelium. Cell 72, 667–80.
Paternostro, M. A. & Meisami, E. (1991) Lack of thyroid hormones but not their excess affect the maturation of olfactory receptor neurons: a quantitative morphology study in the postnatal rat. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience 9, 439–52.
Phillips, G. W. & Bridgman, P. C. (1991) Immunoelectron microscopy of acetylcholine receptors and 43 kD protein after rapid freezing, freeze-substitution, and low temperature embedding in Lowicryl K11M. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 39, 625–34.
Phillips, T. E. & Boyne, A. F. (1984) Liquid-nitrogen bound quick freezing: experiences with bounce-free delivery of cholinergic nerve terminals to a metal surface. Journal of Electron Microscopy Technique 1, 9–29.
Raming, K., Krieger, J., Strotmann, J., Boekhoff, I., Kubick, S., Baumstark, C. & Breer, H. (1993) Cloning and expression of odorant receptors. Nature 361, 353–6.
Ressler, K. J., Sullivan, S. L. & Buck, L. B. (1993) A zonal organization of odorant receptor gene expression in the olfactory epithelium. Cell 73, 597–609.
Ressler, K. J., Sullivan, S. L. & Buck, L. B. (1994) A molecular dissection of spatial patterning in the olfactory system. Current Opinion in Neurobiology 4, 588–96.
Seifert, K. (1970) Die Ultrastruktur des Riechepithels beim Makrosmatiker. Eine elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung. In Normale und pathologische Anatomie, Heft 21 (edited by Bargmann, W. & Doerr, E.). Stuttgart: Georg Thieme Verlag.
Sengupta, P., Chou, J. H. & Bargmann, C. I. (1996) odr- 10 Encodes a seven transmembrane domain olfactory receptor required for responses to the odorant diacetyl. Cell 84, 899–909.
Shepherd, G. M., Singer, M. S. & Greer, C. A. (1996) Olfactory receptors: a large gene family with broad affinities and multiple functions. The Neuroscientist 2, 262–71.
Singer, M. S., Weisinger-Lewin, Y., Lancet, D. & Shepherd, G. M. (1996) Positive selection moments identifying potential functional residues in human olfactory receptors. Receptors and Channels 4, 141–8.
Strotmann, J., Wanner, I., Helfrich, T., Beck, A., Meinken, C., Kubick, S. & Breer, H. (1994) Olfactory neurones expressing distinct odorant receptor subtypes are spatially segregated in the nasal neuroepithelium. Cell and Tissue Research 276, 429–38.
Strotmann, J., Wanner, I., Helfrich, T., & Breer, H. (1995) Receptor expression in olfactory neurons during rat development: in situ hybridization studies. European Journal of Neuroscience 7, 492–500.
Sullivan, S. L. & Dryer, L. (1996) Information processing in mammalian olfactory system. Journal of Neurobiology 30, 20–36.
Sullivan, S. L., Adamson, M. C., Ressler, K. J., Kozak, C. A. & Buck, L. B. (1996) The chromosomal distribution of mouse odorant receptor genes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 93, 884–8.
Sung, C.-H., Schneider, B. G., Agarwal, N., Papermaster, D. S. & Nathans, J. (1991) Functional heterogeneity of mutant rhodopsins responsible for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 88, 8840–4.
Takagi, S. F. (1989) Human Olfaction. Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press.
Turin, L. (1996) Spectroscopic mechanism for primary olfactory reception. Chemical Senses 21, 773–91.
Van Lookeren Campagne, M. B., Oestreicher, B., Van Der Krift, T. P., Gispen, W. H. & Verkleij, A. J. (1991) Freeze-substitution and Lowicryl HM20 embedding of fixed rat brain: suitability for immunogold ultrastructural localization of neural antigens. Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry 39, 1267–79.
Vassar, R., Ngai, J. & Axel, R. (1993) Spatial segregation of odorant receptor expression in the mammalian olfactory epithelium. Cell 74, 309–18.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Menco, B.P.M., Cunningham, A.M., Qasba, P. et al. Putative odour receptors localize in cilia of olfactory receptor cells in rat and mouse: a freeze-substitution ultrastructural study. J Neurocytol 26, 691–706 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018554029186
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018554029186