Nose maps reveal striped blueprint for scent receptors

Detailed maps of mouse olfactory receptors show ~1,100 receptors arranged in horizontal stripes across the nasal epithelium, overturning the long-held zonal model. Using single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics on millions of neurons, researchers linked each receptor to a specific nose position and uncovered a retinoic acid gradient that guides development. A companion study adds an atlas of receptor expression and neural connections to the olfactory bulb, advancing the nose-to-brain map of smell.