Smell Physiology

Nov 2017
Olfactory Membrane
 Histology of Olfactory membrane
• Surface area of 2.4 cm2
• Olfactory cells: receptors cells for smell
sensation.
• Olfactory cilia: mucosal end of olfactory cells
(0.3 micrometer in diameter and up to 200
micrometers in length).
• Bowman’s glands: secrete mucus onto the
surface of olfactory membrane.
Olfactory Signal Transduction
 Mechanisms of Excitation of the
Olfactory Cells
• Odorant comes in contact with the oldfactory
membrane surface, diffuse into mucus that
covers the cilia.
• Odorant binds with odorant receptor (protein).
Inside of the protein binds with G-protein.
• Alpha subunit breaksaway from the G-protein
and activates adenylyl cyclase.
• The activated cyclase converts many moleculesof
intracellular ATP into cAMP.
 Mechanisms (continue...)
• This cAMP activates nearby membrane
protein, gated sodium ion channel; opens its
gate and allows numbers of sodium ions
through into the receptor cell cytoplasm.
• Sodium increases electrical potential , excites
olfactory neurons and transmit action
potentials into CNS by olfactory nerve
 Physical factors affect stimulatin:
• 1st, only volatile subtances can be smelled.
• 2nd, must be slightly water soluble to pass
through mucus to reach cilia.
• 3rd, at least lipid soluble because lipid
constituent of the cilium.
• Methylmercaptan
 Lateral Olfactory area
• Lateral olfactory area is composed of the
prepyriform and pyriform cortex plus the
cortical portion of the amygdaloid nuclei.
• Then pass to limbic system and hippocampus.
• Direct to paleo cortex in the anteromedial
portion of the temporal lobe.
 Olfactory signals into the Olfactory
Bulb
• Each bulb has several thousand glomeruli.
• About 25,000 axons from olfactory cells
• Each glomerulus: dendrites from 25 large
mitral cells and 60 smaller tufted cells.
• Dendrites received synapses from the
olfactory cell neurons; mitral and tufted cells
send axons through the olfactory tract to
transmit olfactory signals to CNS.
 Terima Kasih
• Terima Kasih
 Membrane and action potentials
• Unstimulated olfactory cells: -55 millivolts
• Depolarization: -30 millivolts
 Classification of smell sensation:
• Camphoraceous
• Musky
• Floral
• Pepperminty
• Ethereal
• Pungent
• Putrid