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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory organs,...
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...

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Updated: May 31, 2026

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

Published on: July 13, 2015

Subunit contributions to insect olfactory receptor function: channel block and odorant recognition.

Andrew S Nichols1, Sisi Chen, Charles W Luetje

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, FL 33101, USA.

Chemical Senses
|June 17, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Insect olfactory receptors, crucial for scent detection, have subunits that influence ion channel function and odorant recognition. This study reveals how specific subunits shape receptor structure and interaction with odor molecules.

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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

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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
10:16

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

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

Area of Science:

  • Insect olfaction research
  • Molecular biology of sensory receptors
  • Ion channel biophysics

Background:

  • Insect olfactory receptors are ligand-gated ion channels crucial for detecting environmental odors.
  • These receptors are heteromeric complexes, typically comprising a common olfactory receptor (Orco) subunit and a variable odorant-specific subunit.
  • The precise contribution of each subunit to the receptor's structure and function remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional roles of individual subunits in insect olfactory receptor complexes.
  • To determine how specificity subunits influence ion channel properties, such as cation channel block.
  • To elucidate the contribution of subunits to odorant recognition and binding site structure.

Main Methods:

  • Expression of insect olfactory receptors in Xenopus oocytes.
  • Electrophysiological recordings to assess ion channel activity.
  • Functional assays using ruthenium red to probe ion channel block.
  • Systematic screening of odorants to characterize receptor specificity and identify agonists/antagonists.

Main Results:

  • Specificity subunits significantly altered the sensitivity of olfactory receptors to the cation channel blocker ruthenium red, indicating their role in ion pore structure.
  • Olfactory receptors reconstituted with different species' Orco subunits and a specific subunit (Dmel\Or35a) showed conserved odorant response profiles, suggesting Orco does not form the odorant-binding site.
  • Detailed analysis of the Dmel\Or67a + Dmel\Orco receptor identified specific agonists, partial agonists, and an antagonist for aromatic odorants.

Conclusions:

  • Insect olfactory receptor structure is influenced by the arrangement and type of specificity subunits, particularly in the ion pore.
  • The Orco subunit appears to be largely conserved in its role and does not dictate odorant specificity.
  • These findings provide a preliminary odorophore model for Dmel\Or67a + Dmel\Orco and a framework for understanding insect olfactory receptor assembly and function.