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Related Concept Videos

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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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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.
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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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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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In general, the term ‘aromatic’ indicates a pleasant smell or fragrance from fresh flowers, freshly prepared coffee, etc. In the early history of organic chemistry, many benzene derivatives were isolated from the pleasant odor oils of the plants. For example, vanillin was isolated from the oil of vanilla, methyl salicylate from the oil of wintergreen, and cinnamaldehyde from the oil of cinnamon. They all had a pleasant odor; hence the name aromatic was given.
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The nose is composed of an observable exterior segment (external nose) and an internal segment within the skull known as the nasal cavity (internal nose). The external nose, visible on the face, consists of a framework of bone and hyaline cartilage enveloped in skin and muscle and lined with a mucous membrane. This structure is supported by the frontal bone, nasal bones, and maxillary bone and is supplemented by a cartilaginous framework comprising the septal nasal cartilage, lateral nasal...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 28, 2025

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

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Where is that smell coming from?

Samuel Brudner1, Thierry Emonet2

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and the Quantitative Biology Institute, Yale University, New Haven, United States.

Elife
|September 20, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Animals pause to sniff the air, a behavior crucial for effective long-distance scent tracking. This computational model explains the underlying mechanisms of how intermittent sniffing aids in detecting faint odor plumes.

Keywords:
decision-makingforagingnoneolfactory navigationphysics of living systemsturbulence

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Area of Science:

  • Computational biology
  • Animal behavior
  • Olfactory neuroscience

Background:

  • Animals utilize olfaction for navigation, foraging, and predator avoidance.
  • Scent-tracking behavior, particularly at a distance, involves complex sensory processing.
  • Previous studies have observed intermittent sniffing but lacked a mechanistic explanation.

Discussion:

  • The computational model simulates airflow and odorant dispersion dynamics.
  • It demonstrates how pausing allows for the integration of odor information over time.
  • This intermittent sampling strategy enhances the signal-to-noise ratio for faint scents.

Key Insights:

  • Pausing to sniff optimizes the detection of airborne odorants from distant sources.
  • The model quantifies the benefits of intermittent sampling for olfactory tracking.
  • This behavior is essential for animals navigating and interacting with their environment based on scent.

Outlook:

  • Further research can explore variations in sniffing strategies across different species.
  • Investigating the neural basis of this computational advantage is warranted.
  • Applications may include the development of bio-inspired artificial olfactory systems.