목적: Olfactory sensory neurons (OSN), located in the nasal epithelium, are receptor neurons for odorant detection, transmitting odorant information to the central nervous system. OSNs can be a perfect source of studying olfaction, and consequently treating olfactory dysfunction and several other diseases associated with olfaction. However, culturing primary neuronal cells is very tricky and requires meticulous work, resulting only few laboratories can actually deal with primary OSNs and implement the technique. We aimed to establish the mouse OSN culture system according to the previously reported protocols. 방법:Olfactory epithelium is obtained from the nasal cavity of the pups, and is enzymatically treated to reduce stroma tissues. After treating with dispase and DNase I, dissociated olfactory sensory neurons are cultured directly on the coverslip of cultured cortical astrocyte layer to support their survival. About 4 X 10⁶ cells can be obtained from six to ten pups, depending on the age of pups used and the technique dissociating the olfactory epithelium. Using this method, cultured OSNs can be observed maintaining their bipolar morphology(prominent dendrite and axonal connections) from DIV 2. Neuronal marker protein, such as β-tubulin III and GAP43 were observed from DIV 1 to 5, and OMP could be observed from DIV 3, but more repeated and further studies are needed to verify OSN-specific markers such as Golf and AC3. 결과:The technical difficulties in culturing primary sensory neurons are inconsistent survival rate and aberrant differentiation of the cultured neurons, so these parameters must be overcome to obtain a successful OSN cultures. With the technique described above, OSN cultures can be maintained for as long as ten days, and olfactory marker protein expression can be detected. 결론: As we develop the precise culture technique by obtaining more efficient yields, we will be able to study more varieties of clinically applicable fields of olfaction.