Abstract 2834 The Cat and the Rat: a Comparison of Electroolfactogram Responses across the Nasal Septum Epithelium in Felines and Rodents

The nasal septum contains Respiratory Epithelium (RE) and Olfactory Epithelium (OE). The OE contains specialized bipolar neurons, Olfactory Sensory Neurons (OSN), which are responsible for initiating the signal transduction cascade and result in odorant sensory processing. The composition, transition and function of these two epithelia differ across species. In rats (Rattus norvegicus), a clear-demarcating line can be seen at the transition between these two epithelia confirmed by the expression of the olfactory-specific immunohistochemical marker Olfactory Marker Protein (OMP) and through electrophysiology using Electroolfactogram (EOG) responses mapping.