Britannica AI Icon

olfactory epithelium

anatomy
Also known as: nasal epithelium

Quick Summary

The olfactory epithelium is a specialized tissue located in the nasal cavity responsible for the sense of smell. It contains millions of olfactory receptor cells, each with cilia that detect airborne chemicals. These receptor cells have axons that connect directly to the brain's olfactory bulb, where information is processed. The size of the olfactory epithelium varies among species, reflecting the importance of smell. For instance, dogs have a much larger olfactory epithelium than humans. Olfactory receptor proteins within these cells bind to odor molecules, triggering a signal that is sent to the brain, allowing animals to distinguish between thousands of different scents.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.