Organotypic culture of neuroepithelium attached to olfactory bulb from adult mouse as a tool to study neuronal regeneration after ZnSO4 neuroepithelial trauma

Chemical destruction of the olfactory mucosa leads to a neuronal regenerati on. A new organotypic culture model is perfected to improve the regeneratin g processes study. Explants of neuroepithelium attached to olfactory bulbs were removed from adult mice and cultured, 12 h after ZnSO4 intranasal appl ication. After 3 days in culture, explants showed a necrosis in the olfacto ry epithelium and a thinning of the olfactory bulb nervous layer. From the fifth day of culture, and mostly the tenth, new cells showed positive immun oreactivity with the olfactory marker protein (OMP), meaning they were rege nerating olfactory neurons. Simultaneously, OMP immunoreactivity increased in the nervous and glomerular layers of the olfactory bulb, indicating epit helio-bulbar reconnection. This organotypic culture model could allow furth er investigations on the regenerating process kinetic. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sc ience Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.