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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

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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.
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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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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.
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Related Experiment Video

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The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
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A contextual model for axonal sorting into glomeruli in the mouse olfactory system.

Paul Feinstein1, Peter Mombaerts

  • 1The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. feinstp@rockefeller.edu

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|June 10, 2004
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Summary

Odorant receptors (ORs) guide olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axons to specific glomeruli. The amino acid sequence of ORs determines OSN axon identity, influencing their convergence into glomeruli through homotypic interactions.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Current models do not fully explain how odorant receptors (ORs) guide olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axons to glomeruli.
  • Understanding this process is crucial for deciphering the mechanisms of olfactory system development and function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of odorant receptor (OR) amino acid sequence in determining olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axon identity and guidance.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which ORs mediate homotypic interactions for axonal convergence.

Main Methods:

  • Gene targeting in mice to create specific OR coding region replacements and hybrids.
  • Analysis of axonal targeting to glomeruli in the olfactory bulb using M71 and M72 OR gene manipulations.
  • Examination of naturally occurring amino acid polymorphisms in ORs and their effect on axonal identity.

Main Results:

  • The amino acid sequence of ORs directly imparts identity to OSN axons, enabling their coalescence into glomeruli.
  • Exchanging coding regions between M71 and M72 OR genes successfully rerouted axons to their corresponding glomeruli.
  • Hybrid ORs and naturally occurring polymorphisms revealed a spectrum of glomerular phenotypes, indicating context-dependent axon identity.
  • Critical amino acid residues, primarily in transmembrane domains, are key to this process.

Conclusions:

  • ORs play a critical role in OSN axon guidance by providing specific axonal identity.
  • A contextual model is proposed where ORs mediate homotypic interactions between like axons for precise targeting.
  • This finding advances the understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying neural circuit formation in the olfactory system.