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Odor and Pheromone Molecules, Receptors, and Behavioral Responses

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The Olfactory System

Abstract

Knowledge about chemosensory signals, receptors, olfactory neural network, and behavioral outputs has grown rapidly. Thus, the molecular logic that mediates recognition and discrimination of chemosensory signals has been revealed. Here, I first summarize the current understanding of mammalian olfaction, from the odorant or pheromone, to the receptor, and finally to the behavioral output. I then discuss important questions to be solved in the future and give some insights. Specifically, how should we categorize volatile compounds that are received by olfactory systems in animals? What should be the next focus of research in the field of olfactory receptors? How can we connect a receptor response to a cognate, biologically meaningful odorant or pheromone with the respective behavioral or physiological output at the level of neural circuitry?

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by grants from MEXT, JSPS, and the JST ERATO project in Japan. I thank current and past Touhara laboratory members for critical reading of the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    Kazushige Touhara

  2. JST ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    Kazushige Touhara

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Correspondence to Kazushige Touhara .

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  1. Department of Physiology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Kensaku Mori

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Touhara, K. (2014). Odor and Pheromone Molecules, Receptors, and Behavioral Responses. In: Mori, K. (eds) The Olfactory System. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54376-3_2

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