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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...
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...
Introduction to Sensory Receptors01:31

Introduction to Sensory Receptors

Sensory receptors are vital in our ability to perceive and interpret the world. Sensory receptors are specialized cells in the peripheral nervous system that respond to various stimuli and enable one to experience different sensations. Based on specific criteria, sensory receptors are classified into distinct types.
The first classification criterion is based on cell type, position, and function. Some receptor cells are neurons with free nerve endings, where their dendrites are embedded in 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...
Gustation01:43

Gustation

Gustation is a chemical sense that, along with olfaction (smell), contributes to our perception of taste. It starts with the activation of receptors by chemical compounds (tastants) dissolved in the saliva. The saliva and filiform papillae on the tongue distribute the tastants and increase their exposure to the taste receptors.
Thermosensation01:43

Thermosensation

Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

Relationship between peripheral receptor code and perceived odor quality.

Yuichi Furudono1, Yukio Sone, Kayori Takizawa

  • 1Tobacco Science Research Center, Japan Tobacco Inc., 6-2 Umegaoka, Yokohama, Aoba-ku, Kanagawa 227-8512, Japan. yuichi.furudono@ims.jti.co.jp

Chemical Senses
|December 17, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Odor quality perception in humans aligns with olfactory receptor (OR) code similarities in mice. This suggests a conserved mechanism for odor discrimination across species.

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Last Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
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Published on: April 23, 2019

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay
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Published on: October 2, 2017

New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding
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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory receptor research
  • Sensory perception

Background:

  • The human olfactory system distinguishes thousands of odorants using hundreds of olfactory receptors (ORs).
  • A combinatorial receptor code scheme, where odorants activate distinct OR sets, is the widely accepted model for odor quality encoding.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between olfactory receptor activation patterns and perceived odor quality.
  • To determine if similar receptor codes correlate with similar odor perceptions across species.

Main Methods:

  • Classified 12 test odorants based on their receptor codes using murine isolated olfactory sensory neuron responses.
  • Assessed odorant similarities by measuring overlapping neuronal responses.
  • Conducted a human sensory test to classify odorants by perceived odor quality.

Main Results:

  • Groupings of odorants based on receptor code similarity were conserved with groupings based on human-perceived odor quality.
  • Despite species differences (murine vs. human), the odorant classifications showed significant correlation.
  • This indicates that odorants activating similar murine OR patterns are perceived distinctly by humans.

Conclusions:

  • Similarity in olfactory receptor codes correlates with similarity in perceived odor quality.
  • The findings support a conserved mechanism in odor discrimination across species.
  • This research provides insights into the fundamental principles of olfactory coding.