Recently electrophysiological studies.of the olfactory organs, begun by ADRIAN, have made a great contribution towards elucidating the mechanism of olfactory sensation. However, as the object of these studies has been mainly the olfactory brain or highernerve center, we lack accurate information about the electrical activity of the olfactorycell as primary neuron. The olfactory cell in the olfactory mucosa, located in the depths of the nasal cavity, is difficult to study electrophysiologically.
One method of overcoming this difficulty is the tissue culture of a single. olfactorycell.
Since HARRISON found in 1907 that the nerve fibers of frogs regenerate in lymph, an immense literaturehas accumulated on nervous tissue. Especially, with the advances in the technique of tissue culture, cultivation of a single neuron has begun to be successful. However, reports on the tissue culture of the olfactory cell in olfactory mucosa have notyet been seen in Japanese or foreign literature. It is of further interest that olfactory cells are embryologically different from all other neurons.
Using tissue culture studies, I should like to lay the foundation for electrophysilolgicalstudies of olfactory cells and for experiments on the influence of various drugs.
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