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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...
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...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

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An Explant System for Time-Lapse Imaging Studies of Olfactory Circuit Assembly in Drosophila
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An Explant System for Time-Lapse Imaging Studies of Olfactory Circuit Assembly in Drosophila

Published on: October 13, 2021

Complementary function and integrated wiring of the evolutionarily distinct Drosophila olfactory subsystems.

Ana F Silbering1, Raphael Rytz, Yael Grosjean

  • 1Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience
|September 24, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Animals use diverse olfactory receptors (ORs) and ionotropic receptors (IRs) to detect odors. This study reveals how these distinct olfactory pathways in Drosophila are integrated anatomically and functionally, influencing odor-guided behaviors.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory system research
  • Animal behavior

Background:

  • Animals possess multiple olfactory receptor families for environmental odor detection.
  • The functional and anatomical integration of distinct olfactory receptor repertoires and circuits remains largely unknown.
  • Understanding olfactory system integration is crucial for deciphering sensory processing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional and anatomical integration of ionotropic receptors (IRs) and odorant receptors (ORs) in the Drosophila olfactory system.
  • To identify ligands for IR neuron classes and compare their tuning with ORs.
  • To elucidate the interplay between IR and OR pathways in behavioral responses to odors.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of Drosophila olfactory subsystems expressing IRs and ORs.
  • Ligand identification for IR neuron classes.
  • Examination of glomerular convergence and neural circuit interdigitation in the primary olfactory center and higher brain regions.

Main Results:

  • IR neuron classes are specifically tuned to amines and acids, complementing the broader tuning of ORs to esters and alcohols.
  • IR and OR sensory neurons converge in segregated but interconnected zones of the primary olfactory center.
  • Olfactory circuits exhibit extensive interdigitation in higher brain regions, indicating complex integration.
  • Behavioral responses to odors result from the interplay between IR- and OR-dependent pathways.

Conclusions:

  • The distinct olfactory subsystems, IRs and ORs, are functionally and anatomically integrated.
  • This integration, spanning from primary olfactory centers to higher brain regions, is essential for processing diverse odor information.
  • The findings provide insights into the functional contributions and evolutionary strategies of distinct olfactory subsystems.