Considering the first three neurons in the insect olfactory

Considering the first three neurons in the insect olfactory neural circuit (olfactory receptor neuron, projection neuron, mushroom body neuron), which is most likely to be activated by multiple odorants and which is most likely activated by one or a very few types of odorants? Explain your reasoning

Solution

most organism rely on their olfactory system to detect olfactory clues in the environment. thus they can detect a vast variety of odors with great sensitivity and discrimination. insects detect the odorants using the olfactory receptor neuron(ORN), which consist of the olfactory receptors.Olfactory information is first received by olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), which transmit signals into the CNS where they are processed; this ultimately leads to behavioral responses.

the organs in insect that are use to detect odour and that comprises of ORN are sensilla antennae and a specialized mouth part called the maxillary palps of which the maximum ORN are located in the antennae.

The ORN comprises of 2 parts the olfactory dendrites that acts as the receptor for the odors and the axon that transmits the action potential. whenever the sensilla of the insect senses odor, it generates an odor specific electric signals or action potential. these odorant specific molecule then binds to the odorant binding protein in the cell surface which then sends it to the olfactory receptor on the ORN . these then generates action potential and sends it to the antennal lobe located in the brain of the insect via axon, thus the odor is detected.