Human Nose and Olfactory Organ Model

Quick Answer: The human nose and olfactory organ model is an anatomical model of the nose that highlights the olfactory region, the patch of sensory lining in the roof of the nasal cavity, together with the olfactory bulb above it. It is used to teach how smell is detected and how the signals reach the brain.

How Smell Is Detected

Smell begins in a small area of specialised lining high in the nasal cavity, on the roof and the upper parts of the septum and side wall. This olfactory epithelium contains millions of receptor neurons, each carrying hair-like cilia bathed in mucus. Odour molecules dissolve in the mucus and bind to receptor proteins on the cilia, triggering nerve impulses.

The axons of these neurons gather into bundles, the olfactory nerves, and pass upwards through tiny holes in the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone to reach the olfactory bulb on the underside of the brain. From the bulb, the olfactory tract carries signals to the olfactory cortex and to parts of the limbic system, which is why smells are closely tied to memory and emotion. An olfactory organ model makes this short pathway visible, since in a real head it is hidden behind bone.

The listing does not state the scale, whether the model is sectioned or how many parts it has, so the brain and bulb detail it includes should be confirmed. Teachers often use it after a simple smell-identification activity, so students can see where the scents they noticed were sensed.

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Hold the olfactory organ model by its base; the region around the thin plate and bulb is its most delicate part.
• Brush dust out of the nasal passages rather than wiping, to protect small painted nerve details.
• Keep the model in its box between lessons so any small parts stay together.

Applications

• Sense organ lessons in school biology, alongside the eye, ear, tongue and skin
• Neuroanatomy teaching on cranial nerve I and the olfactory pathway
• Explaining loss of smell after colds, head injury or with age
• Linking smell and taste in food science and nutrition classes

Why Choose LabEquip

Biology departments and health-science colleges use this model to cover the sense of smell, which textbooks often reduce to a single diagram. LabEquip offers it among its anatomy models, and the nervous system poster places cranial nerve I in the wider nervous system; use the contact page for enquiries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the smell receptors in the nose?

They are in the olfactory epithelium, a small patch of lining in the roof of the nasal cavity and on the upper septum and side walls. Most of the lining of the nose is respiratory, not olfactory.

How does a smell reach the brain?

Odour molecules bind to receptors on the cilia of olfactory neurons. Their axons pass through the cribriform plate to the olfactory bulb, and the olfactory tract then carries the signal to the smell areas of the brain.

Why can a head injury cause loss of smell?

The olfactory nerve fibres pass through small holes in the thin cribriform plate. A blow that jolts the brain can shear these fibres or fracture the plate, cutting the pathway.

Why are smells linked to memories?

Olfactory signals reach the amygdala and hippocampus, parts of the limbic system involved in emotion and memory, very directly. A familiar smell can therefore bring back an event or feeling vividly.

Why do we sniff to smell something better?

Normal breathing sends most air along the lower passages. A sharp sniff draws air upwards towards the olfactory region in the roof of the cavity, bringing more odour molecules to the receptors.

Do olfactory receptor cells regenerate?

Yes. Olfactory receptor neurons are among the few nerve cells in adults that are regularly replaced, from stem cells in the epithelium. This is one reason smell can recover after some infections.

Last Updated: September 2026