Olfactory sensory neurons are among the few nerve cells that are in direct and unprotected contact with the chemical environment. This unusual situation makes them vulnerable to injury and environmental insult by chemical stressors, toxicants, and pathogens. As a consequence, olfactory sensory neurons have a limited life span and only survive for for a few weeks after they are born.
G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) are localized in cell membranes and convert extracellular signals into intracellular signals, maintaining communication.
Studies in Molecular Toxicology and Cancer Research Laboratory (MTCRL) focus on the toxic and carcinogenic effects of food-born or other natural chemical agents. Among these agents, mycotoxins which are secondary metabolites produced by fungi pose great risks and hazards to human and animal health. The most important chronic effect of many mycotoxins is the induction and/or promotion of cancer, especially in the liver and kidney.
A fundamental problem common to the development of most sensory systems is the generation of functionally distinct neuronal cell types. The visual system constitutes a unique model to study the generation of cellular diversity within an otherwise homogeneous neuronal population.
