The olfactory system is responsible for our sense of smell and involves detecting and transducing volatile odorants into electrical signals that are processed and interpreted by the brain. It enables us to perceive and distinguish an array of smells, contributing to our ability to identify and respond to various environmental cues. The first step in olfactory processing is the detection of odorants by olfactory receptors. Olfactory receptors are G-protein coupled receptors located on the cilia of olfactory sensory neurons, present in the olfactory epithelium. Humans have around 400 different types of olfactory receptors, conferring specificity to different odorants. When odorant molecules enter the nasal cavity, they interact with specific olfactory receptors. This interaction then activates a signalling cascade within the olfactory sensory neuron. Odorant binding to the olfactory receptor leads to the activation of a G-protein called Golf (olfactory G protein), which in turn activates the enzyme adenylate cyclase. Adenylate cyclase produces cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), a second messenger that triggers the opening of cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels (CNG channels) on the ciliary membrane. The opening of CNG channels allows the influx of sodium and calcium ions into the olfactory sensory neuron, leading to its depolarization. This depolarization generates an action potential, which propagates along the axon of the olfactory sensory neuron toward the olfactory bulb in the brain. The olfactory bulb is the first relay station in the brain for olfactory information. It receives input from olfactory sensory neurons that express the same type of olfactory receptor, forming glomeruli—specialized structures where neurons converge and synapse. Each glomerulus corresponds to a specific type of olfactory receptor, creating a spatial map of odorant information in the olfactory bulb. Within the olfactory bulb, mitral and tufted cells are the principal output neurons that relay processed olfactory information to higher brain regions, including the olfactory cortex. Mitral cells send their axons to various brain regions, including the olfactory cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. The olfactory cortex, including the piriform cortex and the entorhinal cortex, is involved in higher-order processing of olfactory information. Here, the olfactory signals are integrated with other sensory inputs and emotional and memory associations, allowing us to recognize and respond to specific odours based on past experiences. The olfactory receptor gene family is one of the largest in the mammalian genome. It includes hundreds of olfactory receptor genes, each encoding a distinct olfactory receptor. These genes exhibit a high degree of diversity and variability across individuals and species, contributing to the wide range of smells that can be detected and distinguished. The olfactory system exhibits a remarkable degree of plasticity, allowing it to adapt to changing environmental conditions and experiences. Olfactory sensory neurons can undergo turnover and regeneration throughout life, enabling the system to adjust to new odorant stimuli. Through a combination of the activation patterns of different olfactory receptors, the olfactory system can discriminate between a vast number of odorants. This combinatorial code allows us to identify and differentiate various smells, even those with similar chemical structures. We provide a wide product catalogue of research reagents for investigating the olfactory system, including CEP290 antibodies, and CNGA2 antibodies. Explore our full olfactory system product range below and discover more, for less.