
In salmon, the
peripheral olfactory organ, known as the olfactory rosette, is composed of
olfactory lamellae covered with olfactory epithelia. As in
other vertebrates, salmon
olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) relay
olfactory information to the brain.
In teleosts, three
morphological distinct ORN types,
ciliated and microvillous ORNs,
and crypt neurons, exist
according to the ultrastructure of the olfactory knob in the dendrite of the ORNs. Olfactory bulb is the first relay brain
area and receives the primary input from olfactory nerve which is the axons
from each ORNs project to each restricted glomerulus in the glomerular layer
(GL) of olfactory bulb. Terminals of the olfactory nerves organize the synaptic
contacts with the dendrite of the mitral cell (M) which in turn sends processed
output signals to several target areas in higher central nervous system, i.e.,
telencephalon, by the axons from the mitral cells. Olfactory center consists of
the olfactory bulb and the telencephalon in salmon. Telencephalon
in teleost
is thought to be homologous to the pallium
in mammals and dorsal lateral region of the telencephalon includes structures
are possibly analogous to the mammalian hippocampus. It is believed that the
hippocampus plays an important role in the formation of learning and memory in
mammals.