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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...

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...

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 4, 2026

Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals

Imaging Odor-Evoked Activities in the Mouse Olfactory Bulb using Optical Reflectance and Autofluorescence Signals

Published on: October 31, 2011

Correlation between olfactory bulb volume and olfactory function.

D Buschhüter¹, M Smitka, S Puschmann

¹Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Dresden Medical School, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.

|June 17, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study found that olfactory bulb (OB) volume correlates with odor perception abilities like threshold, discrimination, and identification. These olfactory bulb volume correlations remain significant even as OB volume naturally decreases with age.

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Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

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Published on: October 31, 2011

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

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Published on: October 30, 2014

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Quadruple Immunostaining of the Olfactory Bulb for Visualization of Olfactory Sensory Axon Molecular Identity Codes

Published on: June 5, 2017

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Olfactory Research
Human Physiology

Background:

The olfactory bulb (OB) is a critical brain region for processing smell.
Understanding the relationship between OB volume and olfactory function is key to diagnosing smell disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the correlation between olfactory bulb volume and specific olfactory functions.
To determine if age influences the relationship between OB volume and olfactory performance.

Main Methods:

125 healthy subjects (19-79 years) underwent detailed medical history and otolaryngological examination.
Brain MRI was used for volumetric measurements of the olfactory bulb (OB) via manual segmentation.
Olfactory functions tested included odor threshold, discrimination, and identification.

Main Results:

Significant correlations were found between olfactory bulb (OB) volume and odor threshold, discrimination, and identification.
Olfactory bulb (OB) volume decreased with increasing age.
The correlation between OB volume and olfactory function was independent of subject age.

Conclusions:

Olfactory bulb (OB) volume is a reliable indicator of olfactory function in adults.
Age-related decline in OB volume does not alter its predictive value for olfactory performance.
This study provides a basis for age-related normative values of olfactory bulb volumes.