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On the stimulus conducting structures in insect olfactory receptors

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Summary

In the olfactory sensilla trichodea of the silk moth, the cuticle of the sense hair is perforated by numerous pores. These pores are shown to be connected with the dendrites of the receptor cell by extracellular pore tubules. It is suggested, therefore, that odour molecules reach the stimulus transduction sites on the receptor membrane by surface diffusion alone, and need not diffuse three-dimensionally through the sensillum liquor.

Zusammenfassung

Bei den olfaktorischen Sensilla trichodea des Seidenspinners wird die Cuticula des Sinneshaares von zahlreichen Poren durchbrochen. Es wird gezeigt, daß diese Poren mit den Dendriten der Sinneszellen durch extrazelluläre Porentubuli verbunden sind. Daraus folgt, daß die Duftmoleküle den Ort der Erregungsbildung an der Rezeptormembran wahrscheinlich allein durch Oberflächendiffusion erreichen, ohne eine dreidimensionale Diffusion durch den Sensillenliquor.

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Steinbrecht, R.A., Müller, B. On the stimulus conducting structures in insect olfactory receptors. Z. Zellforsch. 117, 570–575 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330716

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