Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
05:21
Whole Mount Immunolabeling of Olfactory Receptor Neurons in the Drosophila Antenna
Published on: May 4, 2014
Mechanisms controlling diversification of olfactory sensory neuron classes
Yi-Wen Hsieh1, Amel Alqadah1, Chiou-Fen Chuang2
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 900 S. Ashland Avenue, MC 567, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS
|March 31, 2017
Summary
Animals use diverse olfactory sensory neurons to detect environmental cues like food and danger. This review explores how neuronal diversity develops in model organisms, offering insights into human olfactory system development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Animals rely on sensory neurons to navigate dynamic environments.
- Olfactory sensory neurons are critical for survival, detecting food, danger, and pheromones.
- Neuronal diversity within the olfactory system enables the detection of a wide range of odors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the developmental mechanisms establishing olfactory sensory neuron diversity.
- To compare these mechanisms across different model organisms.
- To provide insights into human olfactory system development.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on olfactory sensory neuron development.
- Comparative analysis of developmental strategies in model organisms (C. elegans, Drosophila, vertebrates).
Main Results:
- Olfactory sensory neuron diversity is established through various developmental mechanisms.
- Model organisms exhibit conserved and divergent strategies in olfactory neuron development.
- Understanding these mechanisms illuminates the principles governing olfactory system formation.
Conclusions:
- Comparative developmental studies are crucial for understanding olfactory system complexity.
- Insights from model organisms can inform research on human olfactory disorders.
- The development of olfactory sensory neuron diversity is a fundamental biological process.
Keywords:
C. elegansCombinatorial transcription factor codeDrosophilaEpigenetic regulationG protein-coupled receptorStochastic neuronal asymmetryVertebrateMore Related Videos
10:16Perforated 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
06:32Quadruple Immunostaining of the Olfactory Bulb for Visualization of Olfactory Sensory Axon Molecular Identity Codes
Published on: June 5, 2017
Related Concept Videos
01:25Olfaction
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...
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
01:19Nervous Tissue: Neuron Types
Neurons, the fundamental units of the nervous system, can be classified based on both their structural and functional characteristics.
Structurally, neurons are categorized into three main types: multipolar, bipolar, and unipolar (or pseudounipolar). Multipolar neurons, which are the most common type in the brain and spinal cord, as well as all motor neurons, possess multiple dendrites and a single axon.
Bipolar neurons, on the other hand, have one primary dendrite and one axon. They are...
Structurally, neurons are categorized into three main types: multipolar, bipolar, and unipolar (or pseudounipolar). Multipolar neurons, which are the most common type in the brain and spinal cord, as well as all motor neurons, possess multiple dendrites and a single axon.
Bipolar neurons, on the other hand, have one primary dendrite and one axon. They are...
01:31Introduction to Sensory Receptors
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.
The first classification criterion is based on cell type, position, and function. Some receptor cells are neurons with free nerve endings, where their dendrites are embedded in the...
The first classification criterion is based on cell type, position, and function. Some receptor cells are neurons with free nerve endings, where their dendrites are embedded in the...
01:26Introduction to Special Senses
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 functions.
01:03Olfactory 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...
01:20Physiology 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.
The olfactory...
The olfactory...