Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

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 Structure01:03

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 Pathway01:20

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The evolutionary landscape of host immunity genes involved in respiratory and other immune-related diseases, and the identification of TLR2 variation associated with severe COVID-19.

BMC biology·2026
Same author

Multiple Roles of Cannabinoids in the Olfactory System.

Brain sciences·2026
Same author

The evolutionary landscape of host immunity genes involved in respiratory and other immune-related diseases, and their association with severe COVID-19 outcomes.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2025
Same author

Most prominent challenges in translational neuroscience and strategic solutions to bridge the gaps: Perspectives from an editorial board interrogation.

Exploration of neuroscience·2025
Same author

Odorant Receptors Mediating Avoidance of Toxic Mustard Oils in Drosophila melanogaster Are Expanded in Herbivorous Relatives.

Molecular biology and evolution·2025
Same author

Cannabinoid regulation of sex-dependent murine odorant-stimulated salivation.

Scientific reports·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Recording Temperature-induced Neuronal Activity through Monitoring Calcium Changes in the Olfactory Bulb of Xenopus laevis
11:08

Recording Temperature-induced Neuronal Activity through Monitoring Calcium Changes in the Olfactory Bulb of Xenopus laevis

Published on: June 3, 2016

Inhibitory interactions among olfactory glomeruli do not necessarily reflect spatial proximity.

Carolina E Reisenman1, Thomas Heinbockel, John G Hildebrand

  • 1Arizona Research Laboratories, Division of Neurobiology, University of Arizona, PO Box 210077, Tucson, AZ 85721-0077, USA. carolina@neurobio.arizona.edu

Journal of Neurophysiology
|April 18, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Interactions between olfactory glomeruli in moths are widespread and not determined by their physical location. This suggests inhibitory connections are common and independent of spatial proximity in odor processing.

More Related Videos

Functional Evaluation of Olfactory Pathways in Living Xenopus Tadpoles
07:33

Functional Evaluation of Olfactory Pathways in Living Xenopus Tadpoles

Published on: December 11, 2018

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
10:42

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

Published on: August 18, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Recording Temperature-induced Neuronal Activity through Monitoring Calcium Changes in the Olfactory Bulb of Xenopus laevis
11:08

Recording Temperature-induced Neuronal Activity through Monitoring Calcium Changes in the Olfactory Bulb of Xenopus laevis

Published on: June 3, 2016

Functional Evaluation of Olfactory Pathways in Living Xenopus Tadpoles
07:33

Functional Evaluation of Olfactory Pathways in Living Xenopus Tadpoles

Published on: December 11, 2018

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation
10:42

A Lateralized Odor Learning Model in Neonatal Rats for Dissecting Neural Circuitry Underpinning Memory Formation

Published on: August 18, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory System
  • Insect Sensory Processing

Background:

  • Inhibitory interactions in olfactory centers are crucial for enhancing odor representations.
  • The spatial organization of interglomerular connectivity in olfactory systems remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between glomeruli proximity and interglomerular inhibitory interactions.
  • To map inhibitory connections within the primary olfactory center of the moth Manduca sexta.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized intracellular recording and staining techniques to monitor projection neuron (PN) activity.
  • Stimulated specific glomeruli (Toroid I and Glomerulus 35) with known odorants (sex pheromone and Z3-6:OAc).
  • Recorded PN responses to olfactory input from various glomeruli in both male and female moths.

Main Results:

  • Found asymmetric inhibition between Toroid I and Glomerulus 35 PNs.
  • Demonstrated that inhibitory responses were independent of glomeruli spatial proximity.
  • Observed widespread inhibitory interactions affecting both male and female PNs across different glomeruli.

Conclusions:

  • Interglomerular inhibitory interactions are extensive within the primary olfactory center.
  • Spatial proximity does not dictate the presence or absence of inhibitory connections between glomeruli.
  • These findings reveal a complex network of inhibition shaping olfactory processing in moths.