Olfactory System Overview

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the olfactory system as discussed in the lecture.

Olfactory receptor cells

Cells that detect odorant molecules in the nasal cavity.

Cribriform plate

The bony structure at the roof of the nasal cavity that contains perforations for olfactory nerve fibers.

Cilia

Finger-like projections on olfactory receptor cells involved in odor detection.

Depolarization

A change in the membrane potential that makes the inside of a neuron less negative, often leading to action potential firing.

G protein coupled receptor

A type of receptor that is activated by odorant molecules and initiates a signaling cascade inside the cell.

Adenylyl cyclase

An enzyme that converts ATP into cyclic AMP, a second messenger in olfactory signal transduction.

Mitral cell

A type of second-order neuron in the olfactory bulb that receives input from olfactory receptor cells and conveys information to the brain.

Glomerulus

A spherical structure in the olfactory bulb where the axons of olfactory receptor cells synapse with the dendrites of mitral cells.

Population coding

A mechanism of sensory coding where the perception of an odor is determined by the pattern of activation of a group of olfactory receptor cells.

Temporal coding

A method of coding where the timing of neuron firing conveys information about an odor.

Olfactory bulb

The structure beneath the brain that processes input from olfactory receptor cells.

Primary olfactory cortex

The area of the brain that receives direct projections from the olfactory bulb and is involved in the perception of smell.

Mucus layer

The layer in the nasal cavity where odorant molecules dissolve before they interact with olfactory receptors.

GOLF protein

The specific G protein involved in olfactory signal transduction.

Receptor potential

A change in membrane potential in response to an odorant that does not reach the action potential threshold.

Cyclic AMP

A secondary messenger that plays a key role in the signal transduction pathway of olfactory receptors.