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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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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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

Molecular modelling of odorant/olfactory receptor complexes.

Landry Charlier¹, Jérémie Topin, Claire A de March

¹Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR CNRS, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|April 16, 2013

Summary

Understanding how odorant chemical structures relate to smell perception requires knowing the atomic details of both molecules. This study presents advanced computational methods for modeling olfactory receptors and odorants, crucial for scent research.

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Last Updated: May 12, 2026

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Published on: April 23, 2019

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Area of Science:

Computational chemistry
Molecular modeling
Olfactory science

Background:

Establishing a link between odorant chemical structures and perceived smell is a long-standing challenge in olfactory science.
Accurate prediction of smell perception necessitates detailed atomic-level understanding of odorant-olfactory receptor interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

To present state-of-the-art computational techniques for modeling the three-dimensional (3D) structure of olfactory receptors.
To demonstrate methods for modeling olfactory receptors in complex with various odorants.

Main Methods:

Sequence alignment of olfactory receptor proteins with known structures.
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
Modeling olfactory receptor-odorant complexes in a realistic cellular environment.

Main Results:

The study outlines a range of computational approaches to model olfactory receptor structures.
These methods facilitate the visualization and analysis of odorant binding at an atomic level.
The presented techniques provide a foundation for predicting odorant perception based on chemical structure.

Conclusions:

Advanced computational modeling techniques are essential for deciphering the structure-odor relationship.
These methods enable a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying smell perception.
The presented modeling strategies offer powerful tools for future olfactory research and drug design.