The Importance Of Smell

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Smell is the most pivotal sense. All living things, from the tiniest bacteria to the most the multicellular orgranism like humans, can sense the substances in their surroundings). Anatomy Receptors for the sense of smell are classified under a larger group of sensory receptors called chemoreceptors. These chemoreceptors perform transduction, in which chemical signals from the threshold are converted to action potentials. The receptors for this sense are present in a tissue in the nasal cavity called the olfactory epithelium. This region of tissue is composed of three types of cells: • Basal cells – cells that constantly divide so that new neurons as replacement for dead neurons • Supporting cells – intermediate cells of basal cells and sensory neurons…show more content…
The hair like projections of neurons which has mucus all over it and where these molecules are mixed. Once amalgamated, the molecules get binded and the G protein is activated. After the activation process, enzyme on the hair like projections start to function by converting ATP. This causes the sodium ions to enter the cell. As the sodium enters, cell membrane's charge is reduced again and again, also known as depolarization. This leads to a point where potential is generated. This action potential is now carried by the olfactory nerve to the brain. The brain works on the action potential and upon completion a particular odor can be sensed. Different types of
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