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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.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 18, 2026

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo

Published on: October 30, 2014

Patterning the developing and regenerating olfactory system.

Timothy R Henion¹, Gerald A Schwarting

¹Shriver Center and Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 02452, USA.

Journal of Cellular Physiology

|November 18, 2006

Summary

The olfactory system uses odorant receptors (ORs) and other guidance cues like ephrins and semaphorins for precise sensory axon targeting. These molecules orchestrate the complex wiring of the olfactory system in the central nervous system (CNS).

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Molecular Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

The olfactory system serves as a model for understanding sensory axon guidance to the central nervous system (CNS).
Odorant receptors (ORs) and other guidance cues are crucial for the precise targeting of olfactory axons.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying olfactory axon guidance.
To identify key molecules involved in the specific targeting of sensory axons in the CNS.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on olfactory system development and axon guidance.
Analysis of the roles of identified guidance molecules in olfactory circuitry.

Main Results:

Odorant receptors (ORs) directly influence olfactory axon targeting.
Ephrins and semaphorins, known guidance cues, play roles in olfactory axon patterning.
Lactosamine-containing glycans are essential for olfactory axon targeting and maintenance.

Conclusions:

Olfactory axon guidance is a complex process involving multiple molecular cues, including ORs, ephrins, semaphorins, and glycans.
These molecules cooperate to establish the unique convergence and divergence patterns in the olfactory system.
Understanding these cues is vital for comprehending neural circuit formation in the CNS.