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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...
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...
Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive functions.
Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex. This...
Nose and Nasal Cavity01:24

Nose and Nasal Cavity

The nose is composed of an observable exterior segment (external nose) and an internal segment within the skull known as the nasal cavity (internal nose). The external nose, visible on the face, consists of a framework of bone and hyaline cartilage enveloped in skin and muscle and lined with a mucous membrane. This structure is supported by the frontal bone, nasal bones, and maxillary bone and is supplemented by a cartilaginous framework comprising the septal nasal cartilage, lateral nasal...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies
08:36

Constructing an Olfactometer for Rodent Olfactory Behavior Studies

Published on: April 11, 2025

Olfaction.

Jayant M Pinto1

  • 1Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA. jpinto@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu

Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society
|March 3, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Olfaction, a critical sense, is complex and not fully understood. Aging is the primary cause of smell loss, with treatments focusing on inflammation and safety counseling.

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Published on: April 23, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience and Sensory Biology
  • Investigates the ancient and evolutionarily critical physiologic system of olfaction.
  • Explores the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying smell perception.

Background:

  • Human olfaction (chemosensation) is vital for safety, nutrition, pleasure, and well-being.
  • Factors like nasal structure, airflow, and inflammatory diseases impact smell.
  • Olfactory information processing involves the olfactory bulb and multiple brain regions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the current understanding of human olfaction.
  • To highlight the complexities and challenges in dissecting olfactory mechanisms.
  • To review factors affecting olfactory function and current treatment approaches.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on olfaction.
  • Discussion of structural, inflammatory, and neural factors affecting smell.
  • Analysis of the molecular basis of olfactory receptors and signal processing.

Main Results:

  • Olfactory dysfunction remains poorly understood due to system complexity.
  • Aging is the predominant cause of smell loss in humans.
  • Clinical and environmental factors also contribute to chemosensory dysfunction.

Conclusions:

  • Despite advances, precise mechanisms of olfaction require further investigation.
  • Understanding olfactory dysfunction is crucial for improving patient quality of life.
  • Current treatments focus on managing sinonasal inflammation and patient education.