Article

Organization of the olfactory pathway and odor processing in the antennal lobe of the ant Camponotus floridanus

  1. Christina Zube1,
  2. Christoph Johannes Kleineidam1,
  3. Sebastian Kirschner2,
  4. Jakob Neef1,
  5. Wolfgang Rössler1,*

Article first published online: 27 NOV 2007

DOI: 10.1002/cne.21548

Issue

The Journal of Comparative Neurology

The Journal of Comparative Neurology

Volume 506, Issue 3, pages 425–441, 20 January 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Zube, C., Kleineidam, C. J., Kirschner, S., Neef, J. and Rössler, W. (2008), Organization of the olfactory pathway and odor processing in the antennal lobe of the ant Camponotus floridanus. J. Comp. Neurol., 506: 425–441. doi: 10.1002/cne.21548

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

  2. 2

    Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany

*Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Zoology II, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 27 NOV 2007
  2. Article first published online: 27 NOV 2007
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 31 AUG 2007
  4. Manuscript Revised: 11 JUL 2007
  5. Manuscript Received: 15 MAY 2007

Funded by

  • German Science Foundation DFG. Grant Number: SFB 554 (A6 and A8)
  • Evangelisches Studienwerk e.V. Villigst

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Keywords:

  • glomeruli;
  • 3D-reconstruction;
  • calcium imaging;
  • projection neurons;
  • mushroom bodies;
  • lateral horn;
  • insect brain;
  • antenno-cerebral tract

Abstract

Ants rely heavily on olfaction for communication and orientation. Here we provide the first detailed structure–function analyses within an ant's central olfactory system asking whether in the carpenter ant, Camponotus floridanus, the olfactory pathway exhibits adaptations to processing many pheromonal and general odors. Using fluorescent tracing, confocal microscopy, and 3D-analyses we demonstrate that the antennal lobe (AL) contains up to ≈460 olfactory glomeruli organized in seven distinct clusters innervated via seven antennal sensory tracts. The AL is divided into two hemispheres regarding innervation of glomeruli by either projection neurons (PNs) with axons leaving via the medial (m) or lateral (l) antennocerebral tract (ACT). M- and l-ACT PNs differ in their target areas in the mushroom-body calyx and lateral horn. Three additional ACTs project to the lateral protocerebrum only. We analyzed odor processing in AL glomeruli by retrograde loading of PNs with Fura-2 dextran and fluorimetric calcium imaging. Odor responses were reproducible and comparable across individuals. Calcium responses to pheromonal and nonpheromonal odors were very sensitive (10−11 dilution) and patterns were partly overlapping, indicating that processing of both odor classes is not spatially segregated within the AL. Response patterns to the main trail-pheromone component nerolic acid remained stable over a wide range of intensities (7–8 log units), while response durations increased indicating that odor quality is maintained by a stable pattern and intensity is mainly encoded in response durations. The structure–function analyses contribute new insights into important aspects of odor processing in a highly advanced insect olfactory system. J. Comp. Neurol. 506:425–441, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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