Profiling environment-dependent olfactory adaptation by in situ sequencing.

Animals perceive the external chemical world thanks to several thousands of different olfactory receptors (ORs) expressed at the surface of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) that are located in the nasal epithelium, which is one of the few self-renewing neuroepithelia. This feature allows in principle for cellular plasticity and adaptation to environmental stimuli. Odour discrimination is afforded by hundred of different OR genes. The aim of this project is to develop a microcopy based method named in situ sequencing in order to characterise olfactory epithelium molecular and cellular plasticity upon exposure to environmental cues, such as pollutants or natural odours.