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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.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
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Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

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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

Introduction to Sensory Receptors

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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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G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

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GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
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The structure and function of olfactory receptors.

Chenyang Wu1, Marc Xu1, Junlin Dong1

  • 1The AlphaMol-SIAT Joint Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China; The Research Center for Computer-aided Drug Discovery, The Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.

Trends in Pharmacological Sciences
|January 31, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Olfactory receptors (ORs), crucial for smell, are also vital in extranasal tissues and linked to diseases. Understanding their unique structures could lead to new drug discoveries.

Keywords:
3D structureG protein-coupled receptorsconserved motifdrug discoveryolfactory receptor

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Olfactory receptors (ORs) are the primary chemosensory receptors in the nasal olfactory epithelium, belonging to class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).
  • Emerging evidence highlights ORs' roles in extranasal tissues like the brain, pancreas, and testes, suggesting their involvement in various physiological processes and diseases.
  • Recent structural data for OR51E2 and a consensus OR52 reveal unique features compared to other class A GPCRs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in understanding olfactory receptor (OR) structure and function.
  • To discuss computational modeling approaches for elucidating the structural properties of unresolved ORs.
  • To explore the potential of ORs as targets for future drug discovery.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent research on olfactory receptors.
  • Analysis of recently published OR structures (OR51E2, consensus OR52).
  • Discussion of computational modeling techniques applied to OR structural biology.

Main Results:

  • Olfactory receptors (ORs) possess unique structural characteristics differentiating them from other class A GPCRs.
  • Recent structural insights provide a foundation for understanding OR mechanisms.
  • Computational modeling offers a pathway to investigate unresolved OR structures.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory receptors (ORs) play significant roles beyond olfaction, with implications for health and disease.
  • Understanding the unique structural features of ORs is crucial for their study.
  • Further research and computational modeling of ORs can guide the development of novel therapeutics.