In mice, discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulate
In mammals, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are born throughout life, ostensibly solely to replace neurons lost via turnover or injury. This assumption follows from the hypothesis that olfactory neurogenesis is stochastic with respect to neuron subtype, as defined by the single odorant receptor tha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/96152 |
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| author | Kawsar Hossain Madeline Smith Karlin E Rufenacht Rebecca O'Rourke Stephen W Santoro |
| author_facet | Kawsar Hossain Madeline Smith Karlin E Rufenacht Rebecca O'Rourke Stephen W Santoro |
| author_sort | Kawsar Hossain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In mammals, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are born throughout life, ostensibly solely to replace neurons lost via turnover or injury. This assumption follows from the hypothesis that olfactory neurogenesis is stochastic with respect to neuron subtype, as defined by the single odorant receptor that each neural precursor stochastically chooses out of hundreds of possibilities. This assumption is challenged, however, by recent findings that the birthrates of a fraction of OSN subtypes are selectively reduced by olfactory deprivation. These findings raise questions about how, and why, olfactory stimuli are required to accelerate the neurogenesis rates of some subtypes, including whether the stimuli are specific (e.g. discrete odorants) or generic (e.g. broadly activating odors or mechanical stimuli). Based on previous findings that the exposure of mice to sex-specific odors can increase the representations of subtypes responsive to those odors, we hypothesized that the neurogenic stimuli comprise discrete odorants that selectively stimulate OSNs of the same subtypes whose birthrates are accelerated. In support of this, we have found, using scRNA-seq and subtype-specific OSN birthdating, that exposure to male and exogenous musk odors can accelerate the birthrates of subtypes responsive to those odors. These findings reveal that certain odor experiences can selectively ‘amplify’ specific OSN subtypes and suggest that persistent OSN neurogenesis serves, in part, an adaptive function. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-910b2ad8f000446fb764e4c44f4b437a |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
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| spelling | doaj-art-910b2ad8f000446fb764e4c44f4b437a2025-08-20T03:31:15ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2025-06-011310.7554/eLife.96152In mice, discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulateKawsar Hossain0Madeline Smith1Karlin E Rufenacht2Rebecca O'Rourke3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1198-6963Stephen W Santoro4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1870-2513Department of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, United States; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, United StatesDepartment of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, United StatesDepartment of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, United StatesDepartment of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, United StatesDepartment of Pediatrics, Section of Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, United StatesIn mammals, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) are born throughout life, ostensibly solely to replace neurons lost via turnover or injury. This assumption follows from the hypothesis that olfactory neurogenesis is stochastic with respect to neuron subtype, as defined by the single odorant receptor that each neural precursor stochastically chooses out of hundreds of possibilities. This assumption is challenged, however, by recent findings that the birthrates of a fraction of OSN subtypes are selectively reduced by olfactory deprivation. These findings raise questions about how, and why, olfactory stimuli are required to accelerate the neurogenesis rates of some subtypes, including whether the stimuli are specific (e.g. discrete odorants) or generic (e.g. broadly activating odors or mechanical stimuli). Based on previous findings that the exposure of mice to sex-specific odors can increase the representations of subtypes responsive to those odors, we hypothesized that the neurogenic stimuli comprise discrete odorants that selectively stimulate OSNs of the same subtypes whose birthrates are accelerated. In support of this, we have found, using scRNA-seq and subtype-specific OSN birthdating, that exposure to male and exogenous musk odors can accelerate the birthrates of subtypes responsive to those odors. These findings reveal that certain odor experiences can selectively ‘amplify’ specific OSN subtypes and suggest that persistent OSN neurogenesis serves, in part, an adaptive function.https://elifesciences.org/articles/96152olfactory sensory neuronsneurogenesisregenerationodorant receptorsodor stimulation |
| spellingShingle | Kawsar Hossain Madeline Smith Karlin E Rufenacht Rebecca O'Rourke Stephen W Santoro In mice, discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulate eLife olfactory sensory neurons neurogenesis regeneration odorant receptors odor stimulation |
| title | In mice, discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulate |
| title_full | In mice, discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulate |
| title_fullStr | In mice, discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulate |
| title_full_unstemmed | In mice, discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulate |
| title_short | In mice, discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulate |
| title_sort | in mice discrete odors can selectively promote the neurogenesis of sensory neuron subtypes that they stimulate |
| topic | olfactory sensory neurons neurogenesis regeneration odorant receptors odor stimulation |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/96152 |
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