 the olfactory epithelium is a specialized epithelial tissue inside the nasal cavity that is involved in smell. in humans, it measures about 3 square centimeters (on each side) and lies on the roof of the nasal cavity about 7&nbsp;cm above and behind the nostrils. the olfactory epithelium is the part of the olfactory system directly responsible for detecting odors. ==layers of olfactory epithelium== olfactory epithelium consists of four distinct cell types:ross, mh, histology: a text and atlas, 5th edition. philadelphia: lippincott, williams and wilkins, 2006. page 615-616. # olfactory cells # supporting cells # basal cells # brush cells ===olfactory cells=== the olfactory cells of the epithelium are bipolar neurons which congregate to form the olfactory nerve. the olfactory nerves go through the cribriform plate and terminate on the dendrites of the mitral cells located in the glomeruli of the olfactory bulb. the apical poles of these neurons are covered with non-motile cilia, with the plasma membrane containing odorant-binding proteins acting as olfactory receptors. the incoming odorants are made soluble by the serous secretion from bowman's glands, located in the lamina propria of the mucosa.ross, mh, histology: a text and atlas, 5th edition. philadelphia: lippincott, williams and wilkins, 2006. page 616. ===supporting cells=== analogous to neural glial cells, the supporting cells (a.k.a. sustentacular cells) of the olfactory epithelium function as metabolic and physical support for the olfactory cells. histologically, the supporting cells are pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium. the nuclei of supporting cells are more apically located than those of the other olfactory epithelial cells. ===basal cells=== resting on the basal lamina of the olfactory epithelium, basal cells are stem cells capable of division and differentiation into either supporting or olfactory cells. the constant divisions of the basal cells leads to the olfactory epithelium being replaced every 2â4 weeks. basal cells can be divided on the basis of cellular anatomy histological markers into two populations: the horizontal basal cells which line the olfactory epithelium and the slightly more superfi
Olfactory_system