olfactory receptor
Acronym:
OLR
The term olfactory receptor (OLR) refers to a receptor that is activated by oderant molecules and is located on the apical dendrite of a neuron of that mediates the first level of sensory information processing in the olfactory system (OSY) ( Buck-2013 ). The dendrites are embedded in circumscribed areas of olfactory epithelium (OLE) in the mucosal epithelieum that lines the nasal cavity.
OLR's have two variants, main olfactory receptors (OLRm) and accessory olfactory receptors (OLRa). The variants are located in different areas of OLE within the nasal epithelium, and they respond to different classes of oderant stimuli. Both variants are found in the rat ( Swanson-2004 ) and mouse ( AMBA-2024 ). They are located primarily in the vomeronasal organ (VNO)...though rats have small clusters in several other areas ( Ataffy-2023 ).
Current evidence does not support the existence of significantly functional OLRa's and accessory olfactory nerves (1na) in the human ( Witt-2002, Zhang-2003, Francia-2014 ) nor of structural OLRa's and 1na's in the macaque ( Zhang-2003, Francia-2014 ).
OLR's differ from most other neurons in the nervous system (NS) in that their lifespan of 30-40 days ( Menini-2003 ) is more similar to that of epithelial cells in other parts of the body than to that of the vast majority of other neurons, which do not replicate during the lifespan of the organism ( Magrassi-2013 ). Final 27 Dec 2024.
Also known as: olfactory sensory neuronNeuroNames ID : 5714
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