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

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

49.1K
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...
49.1K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

12.0K
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...
12.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Intestinal colonization of germ-free mice with indole-producing E. coli modulates the central and peripheral endocannabinoidome.

Journal of lipid research·2026
Same author

Alterations in gut microbiota characteristics along a type 2 diabetes risk gradient linked with family history.

Gut microbes reports·2026
Same author

A spike-binding protein as a versatile tool to detect and inhibit transmissible gastroenteritis virus.

Virology·2026
Same author

A targeted metabolomic method to detect epigenetically relevant metabolites.

Molecular metabolism·2026
Same author

Development of a health-related questionnaire for quality-of-life assessment in dogs with chronic enteropathy.

Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2026
Same author

Subacute loss of olfactory neurons following SARS-CoV-2 infection in hamsters.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 21, 2026

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor
10:16

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor

Published on: July 13, 2015

27.4K

Olfactory epithelium changes in germfree mice.

Adrien François1, Denise Grebert2, Moez Rhimi3

  • 1NBO, UVSQ, INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France.

Scientific Reports
|April 20, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The gut microbiota impacts intestinal development, but its effect on the olfactory epithelium was unknown. Germfree mice show thinner olfactory cilia and altered odor responses, suggesting microbiota influences olfaction.

More Related Videos

Whole Mount Labeling of Cilia in the Main Olfactory System of Mice
08:42

Whole Mount Labeling of Cilia in the Main Olfactory System of Mice

Published on: December 27, 2014

11.9K
An Effective Manual Deboning Method To Prepare Intact Mouse Nasal Tissue With Preserved Anatomical Organization
15:40

An Effective Manual Deboning Method To Prepare Intact Mouse Nasal Tissue With Preserved Anatomical Organization

Published on: August 10, 2013

38.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 21, 2026

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor
10:16

Perforated Patch-clamp Recording of Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Intact Neuroepithelium: Functional Analysis of Neurons Expressing an Identified Odorant Receptor

Published on: July 13, 2015

27.4K
Whole Mount Labeling of Cilia in the Main Olfactory System of Mice
08:42

Whole Mount Labeling of Cilia in the Main Olfactory System of Mice

Published on: December 27, 2014

11.9K
An Effective Manual Deboning Method To Prepare Intact Mouse Nasal Tissue With Preserved Anatomical Organization
15:40

An Effective Manual Deboning Method To Prepare Intact Mouse Nasal Tissue With Preserved Anatomical Organization

Published on: August 10, 2013

38.1K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Neuroscience
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Intestinal epithelium development is impaired in germfree rodents.
  • The impact of microbiota absence on other epithelia, like the olfactory epithelium, is largely unexplored.
  • Olfaction is a critical sensory modality influencing animal behavior and physiology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe bacterial communities in the olfactory epithelium.
  • To compare olfactory epithelium characteristics between germfree and conventional mice.
  • To investigate the impact of microbiota on olfactory epithelium physiology and function.

Main Methods:

  • Characterization of olfactory epithelium in germfree and conventional mice.
  • Analysis of olfactory cilia layer thickness and cellular turnover.
  • Electro-olfactogram recordings to assess neuronal responses to odorants.
  • Quantitative analysis of gene transcription for olfactory transduction and xenobiotic metabolism.

Main Results:

  • No significant anatomical differences in olfactory epithelium were observed between groups.
  • Germfree mice exhibited thinner olfactory cilia and decreased cellular turnover.
  • Electro-olfactogram revealed increased odorant response amplitude and altered kinetics in germfree mice.
  • Decreased transcription of olfactory transduction and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes was noted in germfree mice.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides the first evidence that the microbiota modulates olfactory epithelium physiology.
  • Microbiota-induced alterations in olfaction may significantly impact animal physiology and behavior.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying microbiota-olfaction interactions.