FBS Colloquia No.292Physiological Laboratory

Latest findings on two olfaction- specific properties

The sense of smell begins with the olfactory receptor cells in the olfactory epithelium in our nose. When odorants bind to the olfactory receptor protein expressed in the olfactory cilia, the cascade is turned on. The olfactory cilia, which are extremely fine structures with a diameter of about 100-200 nm, are the site of signal conversion, where chemical information from odorants is converted into bioelectrical signals. Olfactory cilia have properties that depend on their structure, among which olfactory masking and olfactory adaptation are very important for modifying bioelectric signals. Using electrophysiology (especially the patch-clamp method), it is now possible to explain this quantitatively with the movement of molecules in the olfactory cilia. We are using not only the patch-clamp method but also other techniques in combination with it to reveal the molecular dynamics in the cilia. Olfactory masking and olfactory adaptation are strongly related to food/beverage and cosmetics, and thus unconsciously influence our daily lives. Elucidating these molecular mechanisms will lead not only to fundamental research but also to a new understanding of olfaction and olfactory applications. In this talk, we will introduce the latest findings on olfactory masking and olfactory adaptation that we are working on in our laboratory.