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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 10, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring Glial Influence in Experience-Dependent Synaptic Pruning During Critical Periods

Author Spotlight: Exploring Glial Influence in Experience-Dependent Synaptic Pruning During Critical Periods

Published on: March 1, 2024

Rewiring an olfactory circuit by altering cell-surface combinatorial code.

Cheng Lyu¹, Zhuoran Li^1,2, Chuanyun Xu^1,2

¹Department of Biology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

|November 19, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Scientists discovered a combinatorial code of cell-surface proteins (CSPs) that precisely guides neural connections. Manipulating these CSPs in fruit flies allowed rewiring of brain circuits, altering behavior and demonstrating control over synaptic specificity.

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An Explant System for Time-Lapse Imaging Studies of Olfactory Circuit Assembly in Drosophila

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Published on: October 13, 2021

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Genetics

Background:

Proper brain function relies on accurate neural circuit assembly during development.
Cell-surface proteins (CSPs) are known to guide axons, but their collective function in circuit formation is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how multiple CSPs collaborate to establish specific synaptic connections.
To determine if CSPs can be manipulated to rewire neural circuits and alter behavior.

Main Methods:

Utilized synaptic partner matching in the Drosophila olfactory circuit.
Systematically altered combinations of CSPs in olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs).
Observed changes in synaptic connections and resulting behavioral outputs.

Main Results:

Successfully switched ORN connections from one projection neuron (PN) type to another by altering CSP combinations.
Deduced a combinatorial code of CSPs mediating attraction and repulsion between synaptic partners.
Demonstrated that manipulating CSPs is sufficient to respecify synaptic connections and alter odor-driven behaviors.

Conclusions:

A small set of CSPs can dictate specific synaptic connections through a combinatorial code.
This finding provides a powerful tool for understanding and potentially engineering neural circuit connectivity.
Highlights the potential for CSP-mediated rewiring in studying neural system evolution.