Olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity (mammals)

Scheme electron microscopy. Four olfactory bulbs (1, vesicles) with radially sprouting cilia are present at the surface of the epithelium. Their slender cell bodies (2, bipolar neurons) are flanked by sustentacular (supporting) broad cells (3) whose apices are filled with well developed organelles, few dark lipid droplets and exhibit many short microvilli (4). In the lumen many cross-sectioned microvilli and olfactory cilia are seen. Two basal cells (5) are also depicted down on the basal lamina. The olfactory cell shows the apical course of the dendrite with its apical ciliated bulb while the basal cytoplasm continues downwards as the axon passing the basal cells to the proper lamina.