THE OLFACTORY

STRUCTURES
 OLFACTORY STRUCTURES
• The receptors for the sense
of smell or olfaction are
located in the olfactory
epithelium of the nose.
• The olfactory epithelium
occupies the superior part
of the nasal cavity,
covering the inferior
surface of the cribriform
plate and extending along
the superior nasal concha;
consists of three kinds of
cells: 1. olfactory receptor
cells, 2. supporting cells,
and 3. basal cells.
 OLFACTORY STRUCTURES
• Olfactory receptor cells are the first-
order neurons of the olfactory pathway.
Each olfactory receptor cell is a bipolar
neuron with an exposed, knob-shaped
dendrite and an axon projecting
through the cribriform plate that ends
in the olfactory bulb.
• Olfactory cilia are the sites of olfactory
transduction; they extend from the
dendrite of an olfactory receptor cell
and are nonmotile.
• Supporting cells are columnar
epithelial cells of the mucous
membrane lining the nose. They provide
physical support, nourishment, and
electrical insulation for the olfactory
receptor cells and help detoxify
chemicals that come in contact with the
olfactory epithelium.
 OLFACTORY STRUCTURES

• Basal cells are stem cells located

between the bases of the supporting
cells. They continually undergo cell
division to produce new olfactory
receptor cells, which live for only about
two months before being replaced.
• On each olfactory glands or Bowman’s
glands of the nose, some 40 or so
bundles of axons of olfactory receptor
cells form the right and left olfactory (I)
nerves
OLFACTORY STRUCTURES

Women often have a keener sense of smell than men do, especially at the time of
ovulation. Smoking seriously impairs the sense of smell in the short term and may
cause long-term damage to olfactory receptors. With aging the sense of smell
deteriorates. Hyposmia (hī-POZ-mē-a; osmi = smell, odor), a reduced ability to
smell, affects half of those over age 65 and 75% of those over age 80. Hyposmia
also can be caused by neurological changes, such as a head injury, Alzheimer’s
disease, or Parkinson’s disease; certain drugs, such as antihistamines, analgesics,
or steroids; and the damaging effects of smoking. A related condition is anosmia,
in which no odors can be detected. Some of the causes of olfaction problems are
allergies, nasal polyps, viral infections and head trauma.