Olfactory receptor neurons
Olfactory Receptor Neurons
Olfactory receptor neurons (pronunciation: ol-fak-tuh-ree ree-sep-ter noor-uhns), also known as ORNs, are specialized sensory neurons that are responsible for the detection of odor molecules.
Etymology
The term "olfactory" is derived from the Latin word "olfactus", which means "to smell". The term "receptor" comes from the Latin word "receptus", meaning "received". The term "neuron" is derived from the Greek word "neuron", meaning "nerve".
Function
Olfactory receptor neurons are located in the olfactory epithelium, a small patch of tissue in the back of the nasal cavity. These neurons are unique in that they are exposed to the external environment and have the ability to regenerate every 60 days.
When an odor molecule binds to an olfactory receptor neuron, it triggers a signal that is sent to the olfactory bulb, a structure in the brain that processes smells. This signal is then sent to other parts of the brain, including the olfactory cortex, where it is interpreted as a specific smell.
Related Terms
- Olfactory system: The sensory system used for smelling.
- Olfactory bulb: The first region of the brain to receive olfactory information.
- Olfactory epithelium: A specialized epithelial tissue inside the nasal cavity that is involved in smell.
- Neuron: A nerve cell that is the basic building block of the nervous system.
- Odor: A distinctive smell; the sensation resulting from the stimulation of the olfactory organs.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Olfactory receptor neurons
- Wikipedia's article - Olfactory receptor neurons
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski