Neural regeneration dynamics of Xenopus laevis olfactory epithelium after zinc sulfate-induced damage

FRONTERA, JL; POZZI, A; CERVINO, AS; RAICES, M; PAZ, DA

JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL NEUROANATOMY.

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016 vol. 77 p. 1 - 9

0891-0618

Neural stem cells (NSCs) of the olfactory epithelium (OE) are responsible for tissue maintenance and theneural regeneration after severe damage of the tissue. In the normal OE, NSCs are located in the basallayer, olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) mainly in the middle layer, and sustentacular (SUS) cells in themost apical olfactory layer. In this work, we induced severe damage of the OE through treatment with azinc sulfate (ZnSO4) solution directly in the medium, which resulted in the loss of ORNs and SUS cells, butretention of the basal layer. During recovery following injury, the OE exhibited increased proliferation ofNSCs and rapid neural regeneration. After 24 h of recovery, new ORNs and SUS cells were observed.Normal morphology and olfactory function were reached after 168 h (7 days) of recovery after ZnSO4treatment. Taken together, these data supportthe hypothesis that NSCs in the basal layer activate after OEinjury and that these are sufficient for complete neural regeneration and olfactory function restoration.Our analysis provides histological and functional insights into the dynamics between olfactoryneurogenesis and the neuronal integration into the neuronal circuitry of the olfactory bulb that restoresthe function of the olfactory system.