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Related Concept Videos

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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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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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.
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Introduction to Special Senses01:26

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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...
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Introduction to Sensory Receptors01:31

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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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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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Multi-unit Recording Methods to Characterize Neural Activity in the Locust Schistocerca Americana Olfactory Circuits
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Olfactory receptor and circuit evolution promote host specialization.

Thomas O Auer1, Mohammed A Khallaf2, Ana F Silbering3

  • 1Center for Integrative Genomics, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland. Thomas.Auer@unil.ch.

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|March 6, 2020
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The evolution of fruit fly (Drosophila sechellia) behavior, specifically host-seeking, was investigated. Researchers identified genetic and neural changes underlying attraction to noni fruit, revealing insights into speciation and nervous system evolution.

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Area of Science:

  • Neurogenetics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Animal Behavior

Background:

  • The genetic basis of animal behavior evolution is poorly understood.
  • Few studies demonstrate the genetic underpinnings of behavioral differences between species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neurogenetic basis of behavioral divergence in Drosophila sechellia, a species specialized on noni fruit.
  • To identify the molecular and neural mechanisms driving species-specific host-seeking behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized calcium imaging to identify olfactory pathways in Drosophila sechellia.
  • Performed mutational analysis and cross-species allele-transfer experiments on olfactory receptors.
  • Conducted circuit tracing in the Drosophila sechellia brain.

Main Results:

  • Identified specific olfactory receptors crucial for long- and short-range attraction to noni fruit.
  • Demonstrated that tuning of an olfactory receptor is key for species-specific host-seeking.
  • Found that neural adaptations, including sensory pooling and altered projection patterns, accompany receptor changes.

Conclusions:

  • Revealed an accumulation of molecular, physiological, and anatomical traits driving behavioral divergence.
  • Established Drosophila sechellia as a model system for studying speciation and nervous system evolution.