Editing Nasal concha (section)

===Smell===
The conchae provide, first and foremost, the humidity needed to preserve the delicate [[olfactory epithelium]], which in turn is needed to keep the olfactory receptors healthy and alert. If the epithelial layer gets dry or irritated, it may cease to function. This is usually a temporary condition but, over time, may lead to chronic [[anosmia]].<ref name="Reddy"/> The turbinates also increase the [[surface area]] of the inside of the nose, and, by directing and deflecting airflow across the maximum mucosal surface of the inner nose, they are able to propel the inspired air. This, coupled with the humidity and filtration provided by the conchae, helps to carry more scent molecules towards the higher, and very narrow regions of the nasal airways, where olfaction nerve receptors are located.<ref name="Gray"/>

The superior conchae completely cover and protect the nerve axons piercing through the [[cribriform plate]] (a porous bone plate that separates the nose from the brain) into the nose. Some areas of the middle conchae are also [[innervate]]d by the olfactory bulb. All three pairs of conchae are innervated by [[pain]] and [[temperature]] receptors, via the [[trigeminal nerve]] (or, the fifth [[cranial nerve]]).<ref name="Reddy"/> Research has shown that there is a strong connection between these nerve endings and activation of the olfactory receptors, but science has yet to fully explain this interaction.