Tag: biology

Nose is a most important sense organ of smell. The human nose can detect approximately 10,000 different odours. Nose also helps in the process of respiration.

Above the uppermost concha, is the olfactory bulb. It processes information about odours.
The entire nasal cavity is lined by a moist mucous membrane supplied with a large number of blood vessels.
The mucous membrane also has fine hair-like projections called the cilia which collect any debris entering the nasal cavity.
Apart from the cilia, the mucous membrane also has several cells. Some of these cells are called as secretory cells. Secretory cells secrete a thick, viscous fluid called as the mucous.

Flavour is a combination of taste and smell while eating or sipping. There are two types of receptors like gustato receptors and olfactory receptors which are involved in the sense of taste and smell respectively.

Human nose has $2$ nostrils which further inside forms the nasal cavity as shown in the diagram alongside.

The mucous membrane of the nasal cavity contains specialized receptors responsible for the sense of smell. These are known as olfactory receptors. Optic and auditory receptors are for vision and hearing respectively.

The receptors for smell are located in the olfactory epithelium in the nose or nasal chamber thus, whatever comes near to our nose we can immediately sense its smell.

Bowman's glands are branched tubular glands in the olfactory mucous membrane. The structure of the Bowman's glands consists of an acinus in the lamina propria and a secretory duct going out through the olfactory epithelium. Bowman's glands secrete proteins, such as lysozyme, amylase and IgA similar to serous glands.