Turbinate

In anatomy, a turbinate is a bony projection which protrudes into the breathing passage of the nose. These have evolved to increase the surface area of the inside of the nose helping improve the sense of smell.

The nasal cavity is convoluted into cavities of olfactory epithelium called turbinates I-IV. Here experiments have shown expression of specific odorant receptor genes by subsets of olfactory receptor neurons.

References

• Reduction/Removal of the Inferior Turbinate, from the Sinus Info Center