Interneurons in the olfactory bulb (part of the anterior end of the brain) that process odor information are nerve cells that mediate information transmission.It is known that, as an exception to nerve cells, even adults are constantly reborn and continue to make new circuits, and the new circuits are reorganized in response to external stimuli, but the mechanism is unknown.

　The research group focused on a gene called 5T4, which is a membrane protein, among genes whose expression level changes in response to odor stimulation, and investigated in detail the function of olfactory bulb interneurons (5T4 granule cells) expressing the 5T4 gene. ..

　This time, we conducted an electrophysiological experiment using a mouse that lost the function of 5T4 (5T4 knockout mouse).As a result, it was found that 5T4 granule cells have decreased connections with other nerve cells via dendrites due to the decrease in branching of dendrites that have the function of receiving information.In addition, when behavioral experiments were conducted on 5T4 knockout mice, the degree of odor perception was 100 times lower than that of normal mice, and an abnormality was confirmed in the ability to sniff out odors.

　From the results of this research, if it becomes possible to artificially activate 5T4 granule cells in the future, it is expected to prevent or treat neurological diseases such as olfactory dysfunction.In addition, since olfactory bulb interneurons have been renewed and reorganized in humans and the ability to repair neural circuits has been clarified, 5T4 granule cells should be transplanted to the injured site when nerve cells die due to a stroke or the like. Therefore, it is said that it will lead to the application to regenerative medicine to recover from neuropathy.