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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...
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...
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,...
Chemical Factors Affecting Respiration Centers01:31

Chemical Factors Affecting Respiration Centers

Chemical factors such as changing CO2, O2, and H+ levels in arterial blood play a critical role in influencing respiration depth and rates. These variations are detected by chemoreceptors—specialized sensors located in two primary body areas. Central chemoreceptors are found throughout the brain stem, including the ventrolateral medulla, while peripheral chemoreceptors are located in the aortic arch and carotid arteries.
CO2 has a potent influence on respiration and is strictly regulated. Under...

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Odor and pheromone sensing via chemoreceptors.

Minghong Ma1

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. minghong@mail.med.upenn.edu

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|March 9, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Chemosensation, the ability to detect chemicals, is ancient and vital for survival. This study explores how odorant receptors (ORs) and pheromone receptors in rodents detect smells and pheromones, influencing behavior and physiology.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Sensory Biology

Background:

  • Chemosensation is a fundamental sense across all life forms, crucial for detecting environmental chemicals.
  • Organisms utilize olfactory systems with numerous chemoreceptors, primarily G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), to sense odors and pheromones.
  • In vertebrates, odorant receptors (ORs) in the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) detect general odors, while pheromone receptors in the vomeronasal organ (VNO) detect pheromones.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of odor and pheromone sensing in rodents.
  • To investigate the roles of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and their receptor repertoires in chemosensation.
  • To understand the distinct pathways of olfactory and vomeronasal systems in sensory information processing.

Main Methods:

  • Focuses on molecular and cellular mechanisms.
  • Utilizes rodents as model organisms for detailed study.
  • Examines the expression and function of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) including odorant receptors (ORs) and pheromone receptors.

Main Results:

  • Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in the MOE express specific ORs, detecting general odors combinatorially.
  • Vomeronasal organ (VNO) neurons detect pheromones via narrowly-tuned receptors, triggering distinct neural pathways.
  • Evidence suggests a blurring of functional separation between olfactory and vomeronasal systems.

Conclusions:

  • Rodent chemosensation involves distinct yet interconnected olfactory and vomeronasal systems.
  • GPCRs play a central role in detecting diverse chemical cues.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the complexities and subsystems of chemosensory perception.