FUNCTIONAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THE OLFACTORY SYSTEM CORRELATE WITH LECTIN-BINDING PROPERTIES IN XENOPUS

Soybean agglutinin (SBA) is known to selectively label a portion of neurons in amphibian and mammalian primary olfactory systems. Hitherto, no other distinctive features have been found to correlate with the two neuronal populations. Investigating SBA-HRP binding in olfactory mucosa and CNS of Xenopus, we noted that labelled and unlabelled structures can readily be assigned to different olfactory sub-systems. The SBA negative one is utilized to detect air-borne odors, whereas major SBA-positive structures serve a role in the perception of water dissolved molecules. Some labelled fibers by-pass the olfactory bulb, traverse the telencephalon and innervate prosencephalic structures. They are considered to be aberrant olfactory nerve fibers, rather than being part of the terminal nerve.