According to a new study, researchers have detected an unidentified cellular component called an organelle in the neurons of the nose. Researchers from Umea University in Sweden have named the organelle "multivesicular transducosome."

The lead author of the study explained that organelles are distinct "workstations" inside cells, and different organelles have different functions in the cell. In the nasal cavity, for example, olfactory nerve cells have lengthy projections called cilia that carry the proteins that bind odorous molecules. The newly found organelle exclusively comprises transduction proteins, which are used in the translation of odor into nerve impulses.

According to the study, the transductosome′s function is to store and maintain the separation of transduction proteins until they are required. Olfactory stimulation causes the organelle′s outer membrane to burst, releasing the transduction proteins so they can go to the cilia of the neuron and cause the scent to be sensed.

Dr. Devendra Maurya, a researcher, employed a novel method called correlative microscopy to find the transducosome. The method combines confocal and electron microscopy to simultaneously view the internal architecture of a cell and the locations of several proteins. 

(Source: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/study-finds-new-cellular-component-important-for-sense-of-smell-468589 )