New Techniques for Biopsy and Culture of Human Olfactory Epithelial Neurons

Abstract

This study explains and overcomes most of the variability in the success in observing neurogenesis in cultures of adult human olfactory epithelium. The techniques presented here make the human olfactory epithelium a useful model for clinical research into certain olfactory dysfunctions and a model for the causes of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

Autologous Olfactory Lamina Propria Transplantation for Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: Three-Year Follow-Up Outcomes from a Prospective Double-Blinded Clinical Trial

“…Therefore, OECs appear to provide a highly favorable substrate for axonal regeneration, partly because they secrete extracellular matrix molecules and neurotrophic factors (16,56). The current study also demonstrated that biopsy of lamina propria of the olfactory mucosa does not affect the sense of smell 6 and 12 months postbiopsy that is consistent with previous studies (3,6,18). Thus, the most distinct advantages of peripherally derived OECs are their accessibility from the patient's own olfactory mucosa in the nasal cavity, which can be transplanted in solid pieces as a “bridge” and rich source of OCEs, and eliminating problems of rejection or the need for immunosuppression.…”

Isolation of putative stem cells present in human adult olfactory mucosa

“…In agreement with previous findings, we observed that some of the biopsies lacked olfactory neurons [9, 10, 12]. Patches of neuronal disruptions in nasal epithelium could correspond to the OE margins [10], to zones where the olfactory neurons are depleted or, in the most extreme cases, to metaplastic areas of respiratory epithelium [9, 11, 12, 30].…”

Neuropathology of the Olfactory Mucosa in Chronic Rhinosinusitis

“…17 Although normal OMP-ir OSNs were detected in only 24% of CRS biopsies, this was not due to a lack of sensory epithelium, since morphologically abnormal OMP-ir and PGP9.5-ir OSNs were observed scattered throughout the OE of the remaining CRS biopsies, consistent with other reports. 27, 52, 53 Our immunohistochemical experiments also revealed OMP-ir cells with no PGP9.5 labeling.…”

“…Normal OMP-ir OSNs were detected in 45% of control biopsy specimens, which is in agreement with previous studies indicating that ϳ50% of the biopsy specimens from the high middle turbinate and apposing septum yield odorant-responsive OSNs as evidenced by calcium imaging, 18 and 54% of such biopsy specimens as determined by cytological assessment. 17 Although normal OMP-ir OSNs were detected in only 24% of CRS biopsy specimens, this was not caused by a lack of sensory epithelium, because morphologically abnormal OMP-ir and PGP9.5-ir OSNs were observed scattered throughout the OE of the remaining CRS biopsy specimens, consistent with other reports. 27,54,55 Our immunohistochemical experiments also revealed OMP-ir cells with no PGP9.5 labeling.…”