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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

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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.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
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Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

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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...
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Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

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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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G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

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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...
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Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

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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.
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Introduction to Sensory Receptors01:31

Introduction to Sensory Receptors

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Sensory receptors are vital in our ability to perceive and interpret the world. Sensory receptors are specialized cells in the peripheral nervous system that respond to various stimuli and enable one to experience different sensations. Based on specific criteria, sensory receptors are classified into distinct types.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 2, 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

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Odor memories regulate olfactory receptor expression in the sensory periphery.

Charles Claudianos1, Julianne Lim, Melanie Young

  • 1Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.

The European Journal of Neuroscience
|March 18, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Honeybee odor learning changes olfactory receptor expression in their antennae. This experience-dependent plasticity in olfactory receptors is crucial for olfactory memory.

Keywords:
honeybeelearningolfactionplasticity

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Olfactory System Plasticity
  • Insect Behavior

Background:

  • Odor learning modifies the olfactory system, but plasticity in peripheral olfactory receptors (Or) remains unexplored.
  • Understanding olfactory receptor (Or) plasticity is key to comprehending sensory system adaptability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether odor learning induces plasticity in olfactory receptor expression in honeybees (Apis mellifera).
  • To determine if olfactory receptor expression is experience-dependent and modulated by scent conditioning.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative RT-PCR analysis to measure olfactory receptor gene expression in honeybee antennae.
  • In vitro cell expression system to characterize olfactory receptor function.
  • Electroantennogram recordings to assess antennal neural responses.
  • Olfactory learning paradigm using specific odorants and queen pheromone.

Main Results:

  • Six putative floral scent receptors showed differential expression in antennae post-odor conditioning.
  • Specific receptors (Or151 and Or11) were significantly down-regulated after conditioning with their respective odorants.
  • Neural responses in the antenna, measured by electroantennogram, were reduced following odor learning.
  • Long-term odor memory was essential for these observed changes in receptor expression.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory receptor expression in honeybees is experience-dependent and modulated by scent conditioning.
  • Molecular regulation at the sensory periphery contributes to olfactory system plasticity.
  • Olfactory receptor plasticity is linked to the molecular mechanisms underlying olfactory memory.