Degeneration and Regeneration of the Olfactory Epithelium

The olfactory epithelium is generally made up of olfactory, sustentacular and basal cells. The olfactory cells, which are sensory in function and from whose cell bodies originate the olfactory nerve fibers, are crowded several cells deep between a superficial layer of columnar sustentacular cells, and a deep layer of irregularly shaped basal cells. Each of the olfactory cells has a dend ritic process, which passes to the surface of the epithelium between the sustentacular cells. On the surface it ends in a small vesicle from which arise the long, delicate olfactory cilia. The axonal process of each cell, the olfactory nerve fiber, passes between the basal cells to enter the lamina propria on its way to the brain. Within the lamina propria are located numerous tubular glands, called Bowman’s glands which secrete serous mucus to the surface of the olfactory epithelium. The sustentacular cells contain many granules which are also secreted to the surface.