Question

What is the olfactory bulb?

Answer 1

The olfactory bulb (OB) is a tissue in the nasal cavity that is responsible for sensing odor and pheromones (odorless chemical signals that trigger certain responses)

There are two organs in the olfactory bulb, namely the Main Olfactory Epithelium (MOE) and the Vomeronasal Organ (VMO). The MOE senses odor, while the VMO reacts to pheromones.

The OB is extensively innervated by chemosensory neurons that perform this sensing function and transmit signals to the brain.

Figures below show the anatomical location and fine structure of the OB. As a side note, the horizontal and globose basal cells (second figure) are stem cells responsible for regeneration and repair of the neural tissue in the OB.