Human Nose Anatomy

The receptive organ for the sense of smell is located within the nose, occupying on either side an area on the roof, outer wall, and mesial septum, about 250 sq. mm. in extent (Fig. 107). In this area-termed the olfactory region - there are two kinds of cells: (a) olfactory cells, and (b) supporting cells.

The olfactory cells are modified bipolar nerve cells - one process, representing the dendrite, extends to the free surface where it terminates in a small knob, from which project six to eight fine hairs (Fig. 108); the other process, the axon, much longer, forms a filament of the olfactory nerve and runs up to the olfactory bulb where it ends in a glomerulus.