CONCLUSION: Bone marrow-derived cells can be engrafted in the olfactory bulb and a few cells can differentiate into mitral/tufted cells in the olfactory bulb. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether bone marrow-derived cells can be engrafted into the olfactory bulb and differentiate into neurons and glial cells after methimazole administration. METHODS: Bone marrow of GFP (green fluorescence protein) mice was transplanted into lethally irradiated recipient mice. Immunostaining was performed to confirm the cell types of bone marrow-derived cells expressing GFP. RESULTS: GFP-positive cells were observed in the olfactory bulb at 2 days after methimazole administration. The number of dendritic GFP-positive cells increased up to 30 days after methimazole administration and then decreased. Double immunostaining for GFP and Iba1 or TBX21 showed that a large population of the GFP-positive cells had characteristics of microglia/macrophages and a few cells had characteristics of mitral/tufted cells.
CONCLUSION: Bone marrow-derived cells can be engrafted in the olfactory bulb and a few cells can differentiate into mitral/tufted cells in the olfactory bulb. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether bone marrow-derived cells can be engrafted into the olfactory bulb and differentiate into neurons and glial cells after methimazole administration. METHODS: Bone marrow of GFP (green fluorescence protein) mice was transplanted into lethally irradiated recipient mice. Immunostaining was performed to confirm the cell types of bone marrow-derived cells expressing GFP. RESULTS: GFP-positive cells were observed in the olfactory bulb at 2 days after methimazole administration. The number of dendritic GFP-positive cells increased up to 30 days after methimazole administration and then decreased. Double immunostaining for GFP and Iba1 or TBX21 showed that a large population of the GFP-positive cells had characteristics of microglia/macrophages and a few cells had characteristics of mitral/tufted cells.