What do mitral cells do in the olfactory bulb?

In the olfactory bulb, mitral cells serve as a critical second link in the chain of olfactory conduction. Their primary functions include:1

• Information Processing: Mitral cells possess antenna-shaped dendrites that form synapses with the axons of olfactory receptor cells within structures called glomeruli. By connecting with these receptor axons, mitral cells receive and integrate neural input regarding detected odors.21
• Signal Transmission: Each mitral cell emits a long axon that contributes to the formation of the olfactory tract. These axons act as the pathway for transmitting processed olfactory information from the olfactory bulb to other regions of the brain, specifically the cortex of the pyriform lobe, the olfactory tubercle, and the amygdaloid complex.21
• Signal Maximization: Through the convergence of numerous receptor cell axons onto single glomeruli, mitral cells help maximize the effects of signals, allowing the system to detect odors even when only a few receptors are stimulated by low concentrations of a chemical.2