Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

14.1K
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...
14.1K
Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

49.9K
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...
49.9K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

14.5K
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...
14.5K
Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

9.4K
Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive...
9.4K
Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System01:11

Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System

12.5K
The somatosensory system is the central and peripheral nervous system component that senses and processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and body position or proprioception. The process of sensation takes place at three levels:
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the...
12.5K
What is a Sensory System?01:31

What is a Sensory System?

102.9K
Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.
102.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Antennal sensilla and brain morphology during development in caddisflies.

Cell and tissue research·2026
Same author

A method to estimate absolute odorant concentration of olfactory stimuli.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Perception of aerodynamical looming stimuli.

Current biology : CB·2025
Same author

Sensory pathway in aquatic basal polyneoptera: Antennal sensilla and brain morphology in stoneflies.

Arthropod structure & development·2024
Same author

Sex- and maturity-dependent antennal detection of host plant volatiles in the cabbage root fly, Delia radicum.

Journal of insect physiology·2023
Same author

Editorial: Insights in invertebrate physiology 2021.

Frontiers in physiology·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 1, 2026

In-depth Physiological Analysis of Defined Cell Populations in Acute Tissue Slices of the Mouse Vomeronasal Organ
10:11

In-depth Physiological Analysis of Defined Cell Populations in Acute Tissue Slices of the Mouse Vomeronasal Organ

Published on: September 10, 2016

8.2K

Responses to Pheromones in a Complex Odor World: Sensory Processing and Behavior.

Nina Deisig1, Fabienne Dupuy2, Sylvia Anton3

  • 1Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris (iEES-Paris), UMR 1392, Département d'Ecologie Sensorielle, INRA, Route de Saint-Cyr, 78026 Versailles Cedex, France. nina.deisig@versailles.inra.fr.

Insects
|October 15, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Insects use pheromones for communication, but must filter plant odors. This study explores how insects detect and process pheromone-plant volatile mixtures for behavior.

Keywords:
mixture processingneural mechanismsodor interactionsorientation behaviorplant odorsex pheromone

More Related Videos

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees
13:55

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees

Published on: July 21, 2014

13.6K
Single Sensillum Recordings for Locust Palp Sensilla Basiconica
07:16

Single Sensillum Recordings for Locust Palp Sensilla Basiconica

Published on: June 23, 2018

8.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 1, 2026

In-depth Physiological Analysis of Defined Cell Populations in Acute Tissue Slices of the Mouse Vomeronasal Organ
10:11

In-depth Physiological Analysis of Defined Cell Populations in Acute Tissue Slices of the Mouse Vomeronasal Organ

Published on: September 10, 2016

8.2K
Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees
13:55

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees

Published on: July 21, 2014

13.6K
Single Sensillum Recordings for Locust Palp Sensilla Basiconica
07:16

Single Sensillum Recordings for Locust Palp Sensilla Basiconica

Published on: June 23, 2018

8.9K

Area of Science:

  • Chemical ecology
  • Neuroethology
  • Insect behavior

Background:

  • Insects rely on pheromones for crucial communication, facing complex olfactory landscapes dominated by plant-released volatile organic compounds.
  • These plant volatiles can signal important information, like host plant suitability, or simply form an olfactory background from which pheromonal signals must be discerned.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanisms underlying insect pheromone communication within complex olfactory environments.
  • To understand the interactions between insect pheromones and background plant volatiles.
  • To review literature on pheromone-plant volatile interactions from molecular to behavioral levels.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current scientific literature on pheromone-plant volatile interactions.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms of peripheral detection of olfactory mixtures.
  • Examination of central nervous system integration of pheromone and plant volatile signals.
  • Assessment of behavioral responses and their plasticity to combined olfactory cues.

Main Results:

  • Pheromone-plant volatile interactions occur at peripheral and central nervous system levels.
  • Plant volatiles can modulate insect responses to pheromones, influencing signal detection and integration.
  • Behavioral outcomes are plastic, adapting to the specific blend of pheromones and plant volatiles.

Conclusions:

  • Insect olfactory systems are adapted to extract meaningful pheromonal signals from complex plant-derived odor backgrounds.
  • Understanding these interactions is key to deciphering insect communication strategies and their ecological relevance.
  • The plasticity of insect responses highlights the dynamic nature of olfactory processing in natural environments.