| This is a diagrammatic representation of the olfactory epithelium located high in the nasal cavities. The bipolar sensory neurons (red) are supported by basal cells (green) and sustentactular cells (blue). A Bowman's gland (gold) in the submucosa secretes a watery fluid in which odiferous chemicals (black dots) are dissolved. The neurons have protruding vesicles with long cilia. Along the cilia are specific chemical receptors. When sufficient receptors have bound chemical (not hard to do with garlic), then the neuron sends an impulse down its axon to the dendrites of so-called "mitral cells" in the olfactory bulbs at regions called glomeruli. The combination of olfactory neurons and glomeruli stimulated provides for the potential discrimination of thousands of different smells. The sensory input from olfactory nerves go to the limbic system, which accounts for the emotional responses from odors (perfume manufacturers utilize this mechanism). |