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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

40.5K
The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
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Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

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The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
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Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

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Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 3, 2026

In vivo Ca2+- Imaging of Mushroom Body Neurons During Olfactory Learning in the Honey Bee
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In vivo Ca2+- Imaging of Mushroom Body Neurons During Olfactory Learning in the Honey Bee

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Olfaction: scent-triggered navigation in honeybees.

Judith Reinhard1, Mandyam V Srinivasan, Shaowu Zhang

  • 1Visual Sciences, Research School of Biological Sciences, The Australian National University, GPO Box 475, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. reinhard@rsbs.anu.edu.au

Nature
|January 30, 2004
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) can navigate to food sources using learned scents. Introducing familiar scents into the hive can trigger navigation to specific locations, even without food present.

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Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior
  • Sensory ecology
  • Neuroethology

Background:

  • Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are crucial pollinators exhibiting remarkable navigation abilities.
  • Navigation relies on integrating visual, olfactory, and gustatory cues.
  • Understanding olfactory-driven navigation is key to deciphering bee foraging strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if olfactory cues alone can trigger learned navigational routes in honeybees.
  • To determine if scent memory can override the absence of food rewards at a familiar location.

Main Methods:

  • Bees were trained to associate specific scents with sugar feeders at distinct outdoor locations.
  • Subsequently, scents were introduced into the hive without food at the training locations.
  • Bee visitation patterns to these locations were monitored.

Main Results:

  • Bees were induced to visit trained locations solely by the presence of the associated scent within the hive.
  • This effect persisted even when food rewards and scents were absent at the destination.
  • Familiar scents effectively triggered navigational memories and expedited route recall.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory cues play a significant role in honeybee navigation and memory recall.
  • Scent-based memory can be a powerful driver for initiating foraging flights.
  • This finding has implications for understanding insect navigation and potentially for pest control or pollination management.