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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...
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...
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...
Cranial Nerves: Types Part I01:14

Cranial Nerves: Types Part I

Cranial nerves are responsible for transmitting motor and sensory information between the brain and various parts of the body. There are twelve pairs of cranial nerves, with the first six being essential in sensory perception, motor control, and autonomic functions related to the head and neck.
Olfactory Nerve (Cranial Nerve I)
The olfactory nerve, or cranial nerve I, is unique as it is purely sensory and dedicated to the sense of smell. This nerve originates in the olfactory epithelium of the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

The Olfactory System as a Model to Study Axonal Growth Patterns and Morphology In Vivo
08:29

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

Published on: October 30, 2014

Axon fasciculation in the developing olfactory nerve.

Alexandra M Miller1, Lydia R Maurer, Dong-Jing Zou

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.

Neural Development
|August 21, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Olfactory sensory neuron axons begin sorting and fasciculation early in development. This study reveals spatial segregation of axons expressing the same odor receptor occurs before reaching the olfactory bulb.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axons expressing the same odor receptor (OR) converge into glomeruli in the olfactory bulb (OB).
  • The mechanisms governing this precise axonal targeting and convergence are not fully understood.
  • Pre-target sorting of OSN axons is hypothesized to influence glomerular formation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of olfactory sensory neuron axon fasciculation and segregation.
  • To determine when and how molecularly defined subpopulations of OSN axons segregate as they extend to the olfactory bulb.
  • To assess the hierarchical nature of homotypic fasciculation in the developing olfactory nerve.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized regional and OR-specific markers in embryonic mice.
  • Analyzed the spatio-temporal properties of OSN axon fasciculation and segregation.
  • Examined axon behavior immediately after crossing the basal lamina and during their extension toward the OB.

Main Results:

  • OSN axons exhibit a sharp turn (approx. 90°) toward the OB upon exiting the olfactory epithelium.
  • Molecularly defined axon subpopulations show spatial segregation within the nerve by embryonic day 12.
  • This segregation occurs 48 hours after axons cross the basal lamina and 72 hours before OB synapse formation.
  • Homotypic fasciculation appears to be a hierarchical process, with regional segregation preceding final convergence.

Conclusions:

  • Spatial segregation of OSN axon subpopulations occurs early in development, prior to reaching the olfactory bulb.
  • This early segregation within the olfactory nerve is a critical step in the hierarchical process of homotypic fasciculation.
  • Understanding these early events provides insight into the mechanisms of precise axonal targeting and glomerular assembly in the OB.