Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Olfaction

Olfaction

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...

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

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...

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

CPX‑351 vs. FLAG‑ida in patients with high-risk AML/MDS and MDS-related gene mutations: a subgroup analysis of the UK NCRI AML19 trial.

Leukemia & lymphoma·2026

Same author

Combining Quizartinib with intensive chemotherapy in older patients with newly diagnosed AML: results of the UK NCRI AML18 Trial.

Blood·2026

Same author

Exogenous Kisspeptin-10 inhibits ovarian cancer progression through targeting the SP1-hTERT-ZEB1 regulatory axis.

Cytotechnology·2026

Same author

Optimizing circular industrial integration for sustainable yarn production with remanufacturing: a carbon policy-based modelling approach.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Assessment of Early Antibiotic Administration for Patients With Sepsis in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Observational Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Cureus·2026

Same author

From Sting to Strain: A Case Report of Wasp Sting-Induced Multiorgan Dysfunction Syndrome.

Cureus·2026

Same journal

Endocrine modulation of macronutrient self‑selection in feeding behavior.

Current opinion in insect science·2026

Same journal

To Repel the Red Imported Fire Ant: A Review of Progress, Limitations, and Prospects.

Current opinion in insect science·2026

Same journal

The Growing Challenge of Varroa destructor Resistance to Acaricides: Seeking Sustainable Solutions.

Current opinion in insect science·2026

Same journal

Regulation of beneficial intracellular symbionts in insects.

Current opinion in insect science·2026

Same journal

Insecticide Resistance in Indonesia: Status, Challenges, and Way Forward in Management of Agricultural Pests.

Current opinion in insect science·2026

Same journal

Toward adaptive and high‑precision Integrated Pest Management in the big data era.

Current opinion in insect science·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 7, 2025

Localization of Odorant Receptor Genes in Locust Antennae by RNA In Situ Hybridization

Localization of Odorant Receptor Genes in Locust Antennae by RNA In Situ Hybridization

Published on: July 13, 2017

Olfactory coding in the mosquito antennal lobe: labeled lines or combinatorial code?

Abin Thomas¹, Madhurima Roy¹, Nitin Gupta²

¹Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India.

Current Opinion in Insect Science

|November 16, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Mosquitoes detect odors using olfactory receptor neurons. This review explores how local neurons and projection neurons in the antennal lobe process these signals, with projection neurons encoding odors combinatorially.

More Related Videos

Single Sensillum Recordings in the Insects Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae

Single Sensillum Recordings in the Insects Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae

Published on: February 17, 2010

Using Single Sensillum Recording to Detect Olfactory Neuron Responses of Bed Bugs to Semiochemicals

Using Single Sensillum Recording to Detect Olfactory Neuron Responses of Bed Bugs to Semiochemicals

Published on: January 18, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 7, 2025

Localization of Odorant Receptor Genes in Locust Antennae by RNA In Situ Hybridization

Localization of Odorant Receptor Genes in Locust Antennae by RNA In Situ Hybridization

Published on: July 13, 2017

Single Sensillum Recordings in the Insects Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae

Single Sensillum Recordings in the Insects Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae

Published on: February 17, 2010

Using Single Sensillum Recording to Detect Olfactory Neuron Responses of Bed Bugs to Semiochemicals

Using Single Sensillum Recording to Detect Olfactory Neuron Responses of Bed Bugs to Semiochemicals

Published on: January 18, 2016

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Entomology
Olfaction research

Background:

Odors are crucial for mosquito behaviors like host-seeking and egg-laying.
Olfactory information is processed in the antennal lobe, the insect brain's primary olfactory center.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the organization and function of the mosquito antennal lobe.
To focus on the roles of local neurons and projection neurons in olfactory processing.
To compare coding strategies for olfactory information.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on mosquito olfaction.
Analysis of antennal lobe organization and neuronal function.
Comparison of findings across mosquito species (Aedes, Anopheles, Culex) and other insects.

Main Results:

Local neurons provide lateral inhibition and excitation for information processing.
Projection neurons transmit processed olfactory signals to downstream brain regions.
Evidence suggests projection neurons encode odors using a combinatorial code.

Conclusions:

The antennal lobe is a complex olfactory processing center in mosquitoes.
Projection neurons play a key role in representing odor information combinatorially.
Understanding mosquito olfaction can inform strategies for vector control.