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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...

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.
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Olfaction

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Neuronal Communication

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor

Published on: July 13, 2015

Biophysical mechanisms underlying olfactory receptor neuron dynamics.

Katherine I Nagel¹, Rachel I Wilson

¹Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Nature Neuroscience

|January 11, 2011

Summary

Olfactory receptor neuron responses involve complex transduction and spike generation dynamics. Understanding these steps reveals how flies process odor information, enhancing speed and sensitivity.

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

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Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor

Published on: July 13, 2015

Odorant-induced Responses Recorded from Olfactory Receptor Neurons using the Suction Pipette Technique

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Published on: April 5, 2012

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

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

Published on: June 3, 2016

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Sensory Biology
Olfaction Research

Background:

Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) exhibit complex response dynamics to odors.
These dynamics are crucial for olfactory information processing in insects like Drosophila.

Purpose of the Study:

To dissect the complex response dynamics of Drosophila ORNs into distinct functional steps.
To elucidate the mechanisms underlying transduction and spike generation in ORNs.

Main Methods:

Utilized genetic and pharmacological approaches in Drosophila.
Applied kinetic modeling and linear filter analysis to ORN responses.

Main Results:

ORN dynamics were separated into sequential transduction and spike generation steps.
Transduction dynamics involve ligand-receptor interactions and adaptive feedback.
Spiking dynamics are characterized by a stereotyped linear filter influenced by sodium channels.

Conclusions:

Complex ORN responses arise from the interplay between odor-specific transduction and stereotyped spiking dynamics.
Spiking enhances the speed and sensitivity of olfactory encoding, particularly for fluctuating natural stimuli.