olfactory gland

Bowman's glands (aka olfactory glands, glands of Bowman) are situated in the olfactory mucosa, beneath the olfactory epithelium, in the lamina propria, a connective tissue also containing fibroblasts, blood vessels, and bundles of fine axons from the olfactory neurons. The structure of the Bowman's glands consists of an acinus in the lamina propria and a secretory duct going out through the olfactory epithelium. Electron microscopy studies show that Bowman's glands contain cells with large secretory vesicles. Bowman's glands might secrete proteins such as Lysozyme, amylase and IgA similarly to serous glands. The exact composition of the secretions from Bowman's glands is unclear, but there is evidence that Bowman's glands do not produce odorant binding protein[WP]. Every claim on this page comes from the Leumas anatomy graph and carries its source.

What the olfactory gland is

Bowman's glands (aka olfactory glands, glands of Bowman) are situated in the olfactory mucosa, beneath the olfactory epithelium, in the lamina propria, a connective tissue also containing fibroblasts, blood vessels, and bundles of fine axons from the olfactory neurons. The structure of the Bowman's glands consists of an acinus in the lamina propria and a secretory duct going out through the olfactory epithelium. Electron microscopy studies show that Bowman's glands contain cells with large secretory vesicles. Bowman's glands might secrete proteins such as Lysozyme, amylase and IgA similarly to serous glands. The exact composition of the secretions from Bowman's glands is unclear, but there is evidence that Bowman's glands do not produce odorant binding protein[WP]. The atlas records it as a gland at the organ scale in the human body.

Where the olfactory gland is

It sits in the head, within the respiratory and sensory systems. Not positioned individually, and containment is not asserted either. Drawn near structures of the same kind, which is a weak claim about location.

What the olfactory gland connects to

The atlas records 3 typed relationships for it, across 2 kinds of connection. part of lamina propria and olfactory segment of nasal mucosa.

Supply and innervation

This dataset asserts no arterial supply, venous drainage or innervation for the olfactory gland. Only a minority of structures carry those edges here, so an empty answer means nothing has been recorded — not that there is nothing to record.

Also called

Also recorded as olfactory gland of Bowman, Bowman's gland, gland of Bowman and glandulae olfactoriae. Searching any of those names reaches this page.

Source

Uberon multi-species anatomy ontology (Mungall et al.), CC BY 4.0. Term UBERON:0002232, version 2026-06-19, retrieved 2026-08-24. Licence: CC-BY-4.0.

Questions

Where is the olfactory gland?

It sits in the head, within the respiratory and sensory systems. Not positioned individually, and containment is not asserted either. Drawn near structures of the same kind, which is a weak claim about location.

What does the olfactory gland connect to?

Part of: lamina propria and olfactory segment of nasal mucosa.

Is the olfactory gland the same in other species?

Leumas holds the same relationship vocabulary for every species it carries, so where another dataset records this structure you can put the two side by side on /compare.