Mitral cell
Mitral cells are pyramidal nerve cells in the olfactory bulb , the olfactory bulb and the accessory olfactory bulb.
In mammals , the odorants or fragrances are perceived in the olfactory epithelium, which in humans sits in the upper turbinate. This is where the olfactory sensory cells are located, more precisely the olfactory sensory neurons (OSN), these generate stimuli that are passed on via the olfactory bulb, the olfactory bulb, to around 6–10 million primary sensory cells of the olfactory system. The olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar neurons with a dendrite . The dendrites end distally with 5–10 very fine immobile cilia in a thin mucous layer which is located on the surface of the epithelium. At the proximal pole of the olfactory sensory nerve cell, a single axon from each of these neurons leads directly into the olfactory bulb. This is where the mitral cells are located, which forward the action potentials to higher brain regions.
Their dendrites are involved in the constitution of the glomerula olfactoria as so-called olfactory brushes, penicilli olfactorii , their neurites collect as medullary nerve fibers in the olfactory tract, i.e. after switching to the second neuron of the olfactory tract.