Using histochemical procedures for electron microscopy, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was demonstrated in the olfactory mucosa of the guinea pig and rabbit. This activity was found in two specific locations, one intracellular and one extracellular. The intracellular localization was limited to the cisternae of whorls of smooth endoplasmic reticulum within the cytoplasm of supporting cells. The extracellular localization was limited to the intercellular space between the limiting membranes of the receptor dendrite and the supporting cell. A role for the ACh-AChE system in olfactory transduction is suggested, and comparison made with other receptor systems.
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