ZINC TRANSPORT IN THE RAT OLFACTORY SYSTEM

To study zinc (Zn) mobility in the rat olfactory tract, brain distribu tion of Zn-65 after injection into the olfactory bulb or amygdaloid nu clei was analyzed by autoradiography. Twenty-four hours after Zn-65 in jection into the olfactory bulb, Zn-65 was distributed in the ipsilate ral piriform cortex, amygdaloid nuclei and the anterior commissure. Mo reover, in the case of injection of a higher level of Zn-65 into the o lfactory bulb, Zn-65 was distributed in the ipsilateral entorhinal cor tex in addition to the above regions. Twenty-four hours after Zn-65 in jection into the amygdaloid nuclei, Zn-65 was distributed in the ipsil ateral piriform and entorhinal cortex. These results suggest that Zn i s intraneuronally transported along the olfactory tract. Zn may be tak en up by the piriform neurons after release from the secondary olfacto ry neuron terminals and transported to the entorhinal area. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science Ireland Ltd.