The nose is a specialized structure that serves dual functions as the organ for the sense of smell and as an entry to the respiratory tract.

Nerve receptor cells within the nose are able to detect odors that enter via the nostrils and transmit signals to the brain through the olfactory nerve. The sense of smell also enhances the sense of taste. The ability to smell is more refined than the ability to taste; therefore, when a cold blocks nasal passages, food may seem bland and tasteless.

As part of the respiratory tract, the nose moisturizes and warms incoming air and filters out foreign materials. Small glands within the lining of the nose secrete mucus, a sticky substance that lubricates the walls of the nose and throat. Mucus humidifies the incoming air and traps bacteria, dust, and other particles entering the nose.

Many bacteria are either dissolved by chemical elements in the mucus or transported to the entrance of the throat by tiny, hairlike structures called cilia. In the throat, bacteria are then swallowed and killed by acids and other chemicals produced in the stomach. This efficient line of defense protects the body against the billions of bacteria that continually enter the nose.

Connected to the nose are the sinuses -- air-filled cavities lined with mucus-secreting glands that are located within certain facial bones. There are four groups of sinuses -- frontal, sphenoidal, ethmoidal, and maxillary.



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