Patterns of olfactory bulb neurogenesis in the adult zebrafish are altered following reversible deafferentation

Adult brain plasticity can be investigated using reversible methods that remove afferent innervation but allow return of sensory input. Repeated intranasal irrigation with Triton X-100 in adult zebrafish diminishes innervation to the olfactory bulb, resulting in a number of alterations in bulb structure and function, and cessation of the treatment allows for reinnervation and recovery. Using bromodeoxyuridine, Hu, and caspase-3 immunoreactivity we examined cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival under conditions of acute and chronic deafferentation and reafferentation. Cell proliferation within the olfactory bulb was not influenced by acute or chronic deafferentation or reafferentation, but cell fate (including differentiation, migration, and/or survival of newly formed cells) was affected. We found that chronic deafferentation caused a bilateral increase in the number of newly formed cells that migrated into the bulb, although the amount of cell death of these new cells was significantly increased compared to untreated fish. Reafferentation also increased the number of newly formed cells migrating into both bulbs, suggesting that the deafferentation effect on cell fate was maintained. Reafferentation resulted in a decrease in newly formed cells that became neurons and, although death of newly formed cells was not altered from control levels, survival was reduced in relation to that seen in chronically deafferented fish. The potential effect of age on cell genesis was also examined. While the amount of cell migration into the olfactory bulbs was not affected by fish age, more of the newly formed cells became neurons in older fish. Younger fish displayed more cell death under conditions of chronic deafferentation. In sum, our results show that reversible deafferentation affects several aspects of cell fate, including cell differentiation, migration, and survival, and age of the fish influences the response to deafferentation.