Apoptosis and proliferation in development of rat olfactory bulb

    CHEN Fuª²Quan, WANG Jinª²Ling, QIU Jianª²Hua, LIU Shunª²Li, MI Wenª²Juan

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To investigate the changing pattern of apoptosis and proliferation in the development of rat olfactory bulb. METHODS: Olfactory bulbs were taken from embryonic day 14, postnatal day 1 (P1), 20 (P20) and adult rats and were fixed with 40 g/L paraformaldehyde, followed with paraffinª²embedding and serial sectioning. Each group consisted of 10 rats. Apoptosis and proliferation were determined with TUNEL and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: Apoptosis cells widely distributed and PCNA immunoª²reactive cells were mainly around the ependymal layer in embryonic day 14 and P1 rat olfactory bulb, and apoptosis and PCNA immunoª²reactive cells mainly distributed in glomerular layer and granule layer in P20 and adult rat olfactory bulb. Apoptosis and PCNA immunoª²reactive cells reduced significantly as the rats became mature. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis and proliferation in the rat olfactory bulb reduces gradually from embryo to adult. ......