Olfactory placode

Nasal placode
Nasal pit shown as olfactory pit
Details
Gives rise to	olfactory epithelium
System	Olfactory system
Identifiers
Latin	placoda nasalis, placoda olfactoria
TE	E5.3.0.0.0.0.8
Anatomical terminology []

The nasal placode (or olfactory placode) gives rise to the olfactory epithelium of the nose. Two nasal placodes arise as thickened ectoderm from the frontonasal prominence. During the fifth week of development the placodes increase in size. In the sixth week of development the centre of each placode grows inwards to form the two nasal pits. The invaginations will give rise to the olfactory epithelium that lines the nasal cavities.

The nasal pits are oval shaped and they leave a raised margin which is divided into a medial nasal prominence and a lateral nasal prominence.

The medial and lateral nasal prominence of each placode gives rise to the nose, the philtrum of the upper lip and the primary palate.

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)