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

45.4K
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...
45.4K
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

9.9K
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...
9.9K
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

9.8K
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...
9.8K
Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

6.2K
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...
6.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Spatial segregation of piriform output neurons toward cognitive and emotional networks.

PNAS nexus·2026
Same author

Prepulse facilitation of the honeybee CaV4 channel is produced by a shift in channel activation and requires an intact inactivation sequence.

The Journal of general physiology·2026
Same author

Identification of two odorant receptors tuned to alarm pheromone compounds in the honey bee Apis mellifera.

Communications biology·2025
Same author

In Vitro Monitoring of Taste Compound Release During Chewing According to Process-Related Parameters of the Food.

Journal of texture studies·2025
Same author

Two complementary analytical approaches to study odorant metabolism in the olfactory epithelium.

Food chemistry·2025
Same author

Evaluating the etiology of metallic taste during head and neck cancer treatments: a study of facial and glossopharyngeal nerve interactions.

Neuroscience·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 30, 2025

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

7.2K

Biological constraints on configural odour mixture perception.

Gérard Coureaud1, Thierry Thomas-Danguin2, Jean-Christophe Sandoz3

  • 1Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Team Sensory Neuroethology (ENES), CNRS/INSERM/UCBL1/UJM, 69500 Lyon, France.

The Journal of Experimental Biology
|March 14, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Animals perceive complex odor mixtures as whole objects, a process called configural perception. This study suggests certain odor mixtures are processed similarly across diverse species, from humans to honeybees.

Keywords:
Comparative olfactionElemental perceptionInvertebratesOdour objectOdour-guided behaviourVertebrates

More Related Videos

Olfactory Context Dependent Memory: Direct Presentation of Odorants
04:47

Olfactory Context Dependent Memory: Direct Presentation of Odorants

Published on: September 18, 2018

6.7K
A Wind Tunnel for Odor Mediated Insect Behavioural Assays
05:25

A Wind Tunnel for Odor Mediated Insect Behavioural Assays

Published on: November 30, 2018

12.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 30, 2025

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

7.2K
Olfactory Context Dependent Memory: Direct Presentation of Odorants
04:47

Olfactory Context Dependent Memory: Direct Presentation of Odorants

Published on: September 18, 2018

6.7K
A Wind Tunnel for Odor Mediated Insect Behavioural Assays
05:25

A Wind Tunnel for Odor Mediated Insect Behavioural Assays

Published on: November 30, 2018

12.0K

Area of Science:

  • Olfactory perception
  • Cross-species sensory processing
  • Behavioral ecology

Background:

  • Animals rely on detecting odors for survival and efficient environmental interaction.
  • Odor perception often involves complex mixtures, perceived as unified objects rather than individual components.
  • The biological mechanisms underlying configural odor perception remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review examples of configural mixture processing in various species.
  • To test the hypothesis that certain odor mixtures are processed configurally across different species.
  • To explore the potential for convergent olfactory perception in vertebrates and invertebrates.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on configural odor processing.
  • Experimental studies involving human adults, newborn rabbits, rodents, and honeybees.
  • Neurophysiological approaches to investigate olfactory system organization.

Main Results:

  • Humans perceive specific odor mixtures (e.g., ethyl isobutyrate and ethyl maltol) as distinct configural odors (pineapple) separate from component odors (strawberry, caramel).
  • Newborn rabbits, mice, and honeybees also exhibit configural processing of the same odor mixture, responding differently to the mixture than to its individual components.
  • Evidence suggests a conserved mechanism for processing certain odor mixtures across diverse species.

Conclusions:

  • Certain odor mixtures appear to be perceived configurally in a convergent manner across a wide range of species.
  • This cross-species convergence may stem from similar olfactory system organization and the need to simplify chemical complexity for adaptive behaviors.
  • Configural odor perception is a fundamental sensory processing strategy with evolutionary significance.