[Effects of bFGF and BDNF on the cells of injured adult mouse olfactory epithelium in vitro].

Olfactory epithelium (OE) is unique in the adult nervous system for it produces new neurons throughout life. The cultured cells of adult mouse OE in vitro were studied by histochemistry and immunocytochemistry techniques, and the results showed that they were neurons as up to 50% of the bipolar cells were immunopositive to NF, NSE, MAP2, OMP and tau. The effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in OE medium with different concentration serum on OE cell number and development of cell processes were also observed. The results showed that the combination of bFGF and BDNF added to 10% and 5% serum OE medium increased the bipolar cell number and percentage, stimulated the process outgrowth of bipolar cells, and decreased the numbers of giant cells and fusiform cells. The effects of the combination of bFGF and BDNF in the 10% serum OE medium were more significant than those of bFGF and BDNF applied alone; and the effects of neurotrophic factors in the 10% serum OE medium were more significant than those observed in the 5% serum OE medium.