The Mystery Of Olfactory Cilia: Unlocking Aroma Transportation

how do olfactory cilia carry aroma

Olfactory cilia are located along the upper surface of the inside of the nasal passages. These hair-like receptor cells respond to chemical stimuli that have dissolved in the nasal mucus.

Olfactory cilia are constantly replaced, an ability not characteristic of the other sensory receptors.

The mammalian olfactory cilium is approximately 50–60 μm long and can be divided into the transition zone, the proximal segment, and the distal segment.

The olfactory cilia pattern is established by an activity-independent mechanism.

The olfactory cilia pattern is positively correlated with odorant absorption.

Olfactory cilia length is correlated with odorant absorption in the nasal cavity.

Characteristics Values
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Cilia length 50-60 μm
Number of cilia per cell 10-30
Cilia type Microtubule-based
Cilia location Upper surface of the inside of the nasal passages
Cilia function Respond to chemical stimuli
Cilia replacement Constantly replaced

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Olfactory cilia are located along the upper surface of the inside of the nasal passages

Olfactory cilia are constantly replaced, an ability not characteristic of other sensory receptors.

Olfactory cilia are located in the olfactory knob, at the end of the dendrites of olfactory sensory neurons.

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Olfactory cilia are constantly replaced

Olfactory receptor cells are bipolar cells whose cell bodies lie deep within the mucus lining (or epithelium) of the nose. One appendage reaches from the cell body to the surface of the mucus, where it branches into an array of 10-20 cilia. The cilia must reach the mucus environment, where odorous molecules must dissolve before they can stimulate the receptors.

Olfactory receptor cells are continually replaced by basal cells of the olfactory epithelium. This turnover is remarkable given that neurons are not generally considered to undergo neurogenesis in adults.

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The mammalian olfactory cilium is approximately 50–60 μm long

The mammalian olfactory cilium is approximately 50-60 μm long. It is divided into three segments: the transition zone, the proximal segment, and the distal segment. The transition zone is located at the base of the cilium, where the lipid membrane sheath contacts the dendritic knob. The proximal segment projects from the basal body in a (9 x 2 + 2) configuration with a thickness of around 300 nm. The distal segment represents the end of the cilium and contains characteristic arrays of singlet microtubules.

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The olfactory cilium is divided into the transition zone, the proximal segment, and the distal segment

The olfactory cilium is divided into three segments: the transition zone, the proximal segment, and the distal segment. The transition zone is located at the base of the cilium, between the basal body and the origin of the axoneme's central pair of microtubules. The proximal segment projects from the basal body in a (9 + 2) configuration with a thickness of around 300 nm. The distal segment represents the end of the cilium and contains characteristic arrays of singlet microtubules.

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The olfactory cilia length is correlated with odorant absorption in the nasal cavity

The olfactory cilia length is positively correlated with odorant absorption in the nasal cavity. The cilia length pattern is intrinsically programmed. The cilia of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) in the mouse nose are differentially stimulated depending on the cell location. OSNs situated in highly stimulated regions have much longer cilia and are more sensitive to odorants than those in weakly stimulated regions.

Frequently asked questions

Olfactory cilia are located along the upper surface of the inside of the nasal passages. They are constantly replaced, an ability not characteristic of the other sensory receptors.

Any volatile substance capable of stimulating olfactory cilia will have a molecular weight somewhere in the range of 15 to 300. Greater than 50 million olfactory cilia are found in one of two patches of tissue, each approximately 1 square inch in area.

The mammalian olfactory cilium is approximately 50–60 μm long. The olfactory cilium is divided into the transition zone (TZ), the proximal (PS) and the distal segment (DS). The TZ lies at the base of the olfactory cilium, where the lipid membrane sheath contacts the dendritic knob. The PS starts 2–3 μm away from the basal body in a (9 + 2) configuration and has a diameter of around 300 nm. The thinner distal segment spans the upper part of the cilium, with the microtubule configuration going down from 9 + 1 to 2 + 1, usually ending with a pair of singlet microtubules.

In most non-dividing cells, the centrioles of the centrosome migrate to the cell surface, where the mother centriole forms a basal body which anchors the nine peripheral doublet microtubules and organises the formation of the axoneme. Elongation of the membrane-bound axoneme is mediated by the intraflagellar transport (IFT) machinery, which transports axoneme precursors to the distal tip for assembly.

The cilia pattern is established by an activity-independent mechanism. The pattern is evident at birth, maintained into adulthood, and restored following pharmacologically induced degeneration of the olfactory epithelium, suggesting that it is intrinsically programmed.

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