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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

50.1K
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

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

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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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Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

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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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Taste Buds and Receptors01:20

Taste Buds and Receptors

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Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
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Gustation01:43

Gustation

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Gustation is a chemical sense that, along with olfaction (smell), contributes to our perception of taste. It starts with the activation of receptors by chemical compounds (tastants) dissolved in the saliva. The saliva and filiform papillae on the tongue distribute the tastants and increase their exposure to the taste receptors.
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Visually Mediated Odor Tracking During Flight in Drosophila
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Olfaction: smells like fly food.

Geraldine A Wright1

  • 1Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK.

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|February 19, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Fruit flies are drawn to yeast-containing foods. A new study reveals they possess specific olfactory neurons that detect scents from yeast metabolizing phenolic compounds in fruit.

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Area of Science:

  • Olfactory neuroscience
  • Insect behavior
  • Chemical ecology

Background:

  • Yeast fermentation is a key attractant for many insects, including fruit flies.
  • Phenolic compounds are common in fruits and can be metabolized by yeast.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the olfactory mechanisms underlying fruit fly attraction to yeast-derived scents.
  • To identify specific olfactory neurons involved in detecting yeast metabolites.

Main Methods:

  • Behavioral assays to measure fruit fly attraction to different yeast cultures and volatile compounds.
  • Electrophysiological recordings to identify and characterize olfactory receptor neurons.
  • Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to analyze volatile compounds produced by yeast metabolism.

Main Results:

  • Fruit flies exhibited strong attraction to yeast cultures and specific volatile compounds.
  • Dedicated olfactory neurons were identified that respond selectively to yeast-derived phenolic metabolites.
  • The study pinpointed key odorant molecules responsible for attraction.

Conclusions:

  • Fruit flies possess specialized olfactory pathways for detecting yeast metabolites.
  • This sensory system plays a crucial role in host-plant finding and food source localization for fruit flies.