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Olfaction

Olfaction

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...

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

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...

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

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: Jul 10, 2026

Insect-controlled Robot: A Mobile Robot Platform to Evaluate the Odor-tracking Capability of an Insect

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Published on: December 19, 2016

Follow your nose: axon pathfinding in olfactory map formation.

Yao Chen¹, John G Flanagan

¹Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

|November 30, 2006

Summary

Olfactory sensory neuron identities are mapped to axonal connections. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels and olfactory receptors (ORs) guide axon targeting and sorting, creating a spatial map in the olfactory system.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Molecular Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) must form precise connections in the olfactory bulb to enable odor perception.
The mechanisms by which OSN identities are translated into specific axonal targeting remain incompletely understood.

Discussion:

Two new studies reveal how distinct OSN identities are converted into a spatial map of axonal connections.
These studies highlight the roles of cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling and olfactory receptors (ORs) in this process.
The findings suggest a model where cAMP levels, influenced by OR activation, direct axonal targeting along an axis.

Key Insights:

Olfactory receptor (OR) activity and downstream cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels are critical for guiding OSN axon projection.

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ORs and neural activity collaboratively regulate the expression of cell adhesion and guidance molecules.

This coordinated regulation results in mosaic expression patterns that enable the sorting of OSN axons into specific glomerular locations.

Outlook:

Further investigation into the precise molecular interactions governing axon sorting is warranted.
Understanding this wiring mechanism could offer insights into neural circuit development and regeneration.
These findings provide a foundation for exploring how olfactory maps are established and maintained.