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Related Concept Videos

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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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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Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

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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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When cells are placed in a hypotonic (low-salt) fluid, they can swell and burst. Meanwhile, cells in a hypertonic solution—with a higher salt concentration—can shrivel and die. How do fish cells avoid these gruesome fates in hypotonic freshwater or hypertonic seawater environments?
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Comparative Excretory Systems02:24

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Animals have evolved different strategies for excretion, the removal of waste from the body. Most waste must be dissolved in water to be excreted, so an animal’s excretory strategy directly affects its water balance.
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Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...
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Updated: Nov 22, 2025

Extracellular Multi-Unit Recording from the Olfactory Nerve of Teleosts
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Olfaction of aquatic amniotes.

Takushi Kishida1,2

  • 1Museum of Natural and Environmental History, Shizuoka, Oya 5762, Suruga, Shizuoka, 422-8017, Japan. taku.kishida@gmail.com.

Cell and Tissue Research
|January 7, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Aquatic amniotes show reduced olfactory abilities, with cetaceans losing their vomeronasal system and toothed whales losing their entire olfactory nervous system. This review explores the diverse olfactory adaptations in marine reptiles and mammals.

Keywords:
Aquatic adaptationCetaceaDegenerationEvolutionSea snake

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Sensory biology
  • Comparative anatomy

Background:

  • Amniotes, originating on land, have repeatedly evolved aquatic or amphibious lineages.
  • Aquatic adaptation presents unique challenges, driving evolutionary experiments in sensory systems.
  • Olfactory system evolution is critical for aquatic life, as underwater olfaction differs significantly from terrestrial olfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the olfactory capabilities of aquatic and amphibious amniotes.
  • To highlight adaptations in cetaceans and sea snakes as key examples.
  • To understand the evolutionary processes of olfactory adaptation to aquatic environments.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on olfactory systems in aquatic amniotes.
  • Comparative analysis of olfactory organ reduction, receptor gene repertoires, and functional capabilities.
  • Examination of specific adaptations in cetaceans (baleen and toothed whales) and sea snakes.

Main Results:

  • Most aquatic/amphibious amniotes exhibit reduced olfactory organs, receptor gene repertoires, and overall olfactory capabilities.
  • Cetaceans show extreme adaptations: loss of the vomeronasal system, and in toothed whales, complete loss of the olfactory nervous system.
  • Fully aquatic sea snakes have lost their main olfactory system but retain the vomeronasal system for underwater sensing; amphibious species show intermediate olfactory status.

Conclusions:

  • Aquatic adaptation in amniotes leads to diverse and often reduced olfactory capabilities.
  • Cetaceans and sea snakes represent extreme evolutionary pathways in olfactory adaptation to aquatic environments.
  • Studying amphibious species is crucial for understanding the transitional stages of olfactory adaptation to water.