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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

45.2K
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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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

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

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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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 20, 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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Computational modelling of olfactory receptors.

Chiemela S Odoemelam1, Volker Steuber1, Michael Schmuker1

  • 1UH Biocomputation Research Group, Centre for AI and Robotics Research, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom.

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. General Subjects
|May 29, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Computational modeling aids olfactory receptor (OR) research by analyzing structure and ligand interactions. These methods, including AI-driven predictions, are vital for understanding smell and non-olfactory roles in health and disease.

Keywords:
Computational modellingOdorant moleculesOlfactory receptors

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 20, 2025

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Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay
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High-throughput Analysis of Mammalian Olfactory Receptors: Measurement of Receptor Activation via Luciferase Activity
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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Computational Biology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Olfactory receptors (ORs), a large G protein-coupled receptor family, are key to detecting odorants.
  • Understanding OR function is critical for olfactory perception and non-olfactory roles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of computational approaches for OR research.
  • To highlight the applications and limitations of various modelling techniques.

Main Methods:

  • Homology modelling
  • Molecular docking
  • Molecular dynamics simulations
  • Free energy calculations
  • Pharmacophore modelling (ligand- and structure-based)
  • Virtual screening
  • Machine learning-based predictions

Main Results:

  • Structure-based modelling is advancing with AI tools like AlphaFold.
  • Ligand-based pharmacophore modelling remains essential when structural data is limited.
  • Computational techniques successfully identify OR-ligand interactions and receptor dynamics.

Conclusions:

  • Computational strategies are powerful tools for decoding OR function.
  • These methods guide experimental validation and advance understanding of olfactory signalling.
  • This research supports drug discovery and understanding of ORs in health and disease.