Odour discrimination in the olfactory bulb of goldfish: contrasting interactions between mitral cells and ruffed cells

Anatomical differences characterizing mitral cells and ruffed cells have been published by T. Kosaka and K. Hama in three teleost species. Physiological responses from both types of relay neurons were recorded extracellularly and simultaneously in the plexiform layer, using a single tungsten microelectrode. During interstimulus intervals mitral cells responded with higher, frequently burst-like impulse rates triggered by the activity of epithelial receptor neurons. Mitral cell activity could be totally suppressed by local anaesthesia of the olfactory epithelium. Ruffed cell impulse rates were low, and each action potential triggered a long-lasting (3-5 ms), continuously varying, summed granule cell potential. During olfactory stimulation with non-familiar stimuli and important biological stimuli such as amino acids, preovulatory and ovulatory pheromones, and a probable alarm pheromone, contrasting interactions between mitral cells and ruffed cells were recorded frequently, which resulted in a drastic intensification of centrally transmitted information. An excitation of mitral cells' activity via granule cells laterally inhibited the ruffed cells' activity, and an inhibition of mitral cells' activity simultaneously 'released' an excitation of ruffed cells.