S. Sachse et al., The spatial representation of chemical structures in the antennal lobe of honeybees: steps towards the olfactory code, EUR J NEURO, 11(11), 1999, pp. 3970-3982
Odours are represented by specific ensembles of activated glomeruli in a co
mbinatorial manner within the olfactory bulb of vertebrates or the antennal
lobe (AL) of insects. Here, we optically measured glomerular calcium activ
ities in vivo in the honeybee Apis mellifera during olfactory stimulation w
ith 36 pure chemicals differing systematically in carbon chain length (C-5-
10) and functional group (aldehyde, ketone, alcohol, carboxylic acid and al
kane). We show their glomerular representations in 38 morphologically ident
ified glomeruli out of the honeybee's 160. We measured the molecular recept
ive range of identified glomeruli averaging up to 21 individuals. Of the 38
glomeruli measured, 23 show maximal activity in a specific range of chain
length. Glomeruli preferentially responding to a functional group are also
always broadly tuned to particular chain lengths. Furthermore, glomeruli wi
th similar response spectra are often direct neighbours. The results allow
conclusions about the interactions between olfactory receptors and odour mo
lecules, and about the AL network.