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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Experience-Dependent Remodeling of Juvenile Brain Olfactory Sensory Neuron Synaptic Connectivity in an Early-Life Critical Period
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Post-eclosion odor experience modifies olfactory receptor neuron coding in Drosophila.

Atulya Iyengar1, Tuhin Subhra Chakraborty, Sarit Pati Goswami

  • 1Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|May 8, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Fruit fly olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) adapt to odors experienced after hatching. Rich olfactory environments enhance odor discrimination, while odor deprivation impairs it, showing experience-dependent neural adaptation.

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Electrophysiological Recording from Drosophila Trichoid Sensilla in Response to Odorants of Low Volatility

Published on: July 27, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory Biology
  • Animal Behavior

Background:

  • Olfactory responses in Drosophila change significantly after eclosion.
  • Behavioral adaptation to odors correlates with altered olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) firing patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the information content of ORN firing patterns.
  • To investigate how olfactory experience shapes ORN responses and odor discrimination.

Main Methods:

  • Flies were reared in different media: odorless, single odorant-infused, or complex cornmeal.
  • Recordings were made from identified type II sensilla.
  • Jensen-Shannon divergence (D(JS)) quantified differences in ensemble spike responses.

Main Results:

  • Exposure to ethyl acetate increased sensitivity but not discrimination.
  • Cornmeal-reared flies showed varied sensitivity and improved odor discrimination.
  • Odor deprivation led to reduced sensitivity and acuity.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory experience shapes ORN responses, enhancing discriminative power.
  • Adaptation occurs at the olfactory receptor neuron level.
  • Rich olfactory environments are crucial for developing sensory acuity.