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The insect antenna is not a molecular sieve

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Summary

The deposition rate of 2 tritiated odorants onto insect antennae of different sizes and shapes is linearly proportional to the product of odorant concentration times the antennal surface area. This result challenges an assumption in a commonly accepted hypothesis that sensillar shape affects odorant deposition and that a single odorant molecule can initiate an action potential in a receptor cell. Consequently the 1-molecule-1-spike hypothesis bears reinvestigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Insect Attractants, Behavior and Basic Biology Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, 32604, Florida, USA

    R. W. Mankin & M. S. Mayer

Authors
  1. R. W. Mankin
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  2. M. S. Mayer
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Mankin, R.W., Mayer, M.S. The insect antenna is not a molecular sieve. Experientia 40, 1251–1252 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01946658

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01946658

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