Immunoreactivity and protein levels of olfactory marker protein and tyrosine hydroxylase are not changed in the dog main olfactory bulb during normal ageing.

The immunoreactivity and protein expression of olfactory marker protein (OMP) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the main olfactory bulb (MOB) of the dog during normal ageing was investigated. OMP immunolabelling was observed only in nerve bundles of the olfactory nerve (ONL) and glomerular layers (GL) and there was no OMP expression within cell bodies of any layer. TH immunolabelling was detected in all layers of the MOB except for the ONL. Most of the neurons expressing TH were distributed in the juxtaglomerular region and had a morphological appearance consistent with periglomerular, external tufted or superficial short axon cells. Dendrites of TH-immunoreactive neurons were closely apposed to OMP-immunoreactive nerve bundles within the glomeruli. There was no significant age-related loss of OMP and TH immunoreactivity and protein concentrations of these molecules were consistent in dogs of different ages. These results suggest that olfactory signal transduction to the GL via axons of olfactory receptor neurons remains unchanged during ageing in the dog.