= Olfactory sensory neuron
An <olfactory sensory neuron> is a <neuron> that detects odorant molecules and sends an electrical signal toward the <brain>. Receptor-bearing sensory endings sample chemicals at the nasal surface, while the <axon> carries the resulting output toward the <olfactory bulb>. Detection and interpretation are therefore distributed across peripheral cells and central circuits.
Genetically labelled receptor-expressing <neurons> allowed investigators to trace where their <axons> converged in the <olfactory bulb>. Receptor-swap experiments further tested how <receptor> identity contributes to that projection pattern. <Visualizing an Olfactory Sensory Map by Peter Mombaerts and others>[1996, labelled receptor-expressing cells and receptor-swap experiments]{ref} This connects molecular recognition to circuit organization without implying that a single active <neuron> uniquely identifies every odour: an odour can recruit a pattern across <receptor> classes.
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