Biophysics of olfaction

Abstract

The majority of the biophysical models of olfaction have been focused on the electrical properties of the system, which is justified by the relative facility of recording the electrical activity of the olfactory cells. However, depending on the level of detail utilized, a biophysical model can explore molecular, cellular and network phenomena. This review presents the state of the art of the biophysical approach to understanding olfaction. The reader is introduced to the principal problems involving the study of olfaction and guided gradually to comprehend why it is important to develop biophysical models to investigate olfaction. A large number of representative biophysical efforts in olfaction, their main contributions, the trends for the next generations of biophysical models and the improvements that may be explored by future biophysicists of olfaction have been reviewed.

Mild myelin disruption elicits early alteration in behavior and proliferation in the subventricular zone

“…Simulations were performed in a computational model of the piriform cortex developed on the GENESIS simulator by Michael Vanier ( Vanier, 2001 ; Bower and Beeman, 2007 ). A detailed description of the piriform cortex model and parameters can be found elsewhere ( Vanier, 2001 ) (reviewed in [ Souza and Antunes, 2007 ]). Briefly.…”

Changes in the Electroencephalographic Activity in Response to Odors Produced by Organic Compounds

“…The detection of odor molecules is facilitated by 1,000 different G-protein-coupled receptors, and the olfactory receptor cells are particularly tuned to distinct odor characteristics. Numerous findings indicate that each olfactory neuron expresses only one olfactory receptor gene (Malnic et al, 1999;Simoes de Souza & Antunes, 2007). Olfactory receptors in the mammalian olfactory system show a combinatorial response to odor molecules.…”

Variation with reproductive status of PGE2 receptor immunoreactivities in the Bostrichthys sinensis olfactory system

“…Pheromone receptors in the olfactory system bind pheromones and trigger signal transduction cascades, and the biochemical pathway followed increases the sensitivity of the olfactory system by the amplification of the signal received in the pheromone receptors (de Souza & Antunes, 2007). It is hypothesized that olfactory sensitivities can be modulated due to changes in the number of receptors and varying sensitivity of the receptors (Creese & Sibley, 1981; Habibi et al , 1989).…”

“…The process begins in the olfactory epithelium (OE), proceeds through the olfactory bulbs and reaches the telencephalon. The principal function of the biochemical pathways involved with olfactory transduction is to increase the sensitivity of the olfactory system by amplification of the signal received in pheromone receptors (de Souza & Antunes, 2007). Pheromone receptors bind pheromones and trigger signal transduction cascades and, therefore, characterization and computation of pheromone receptors in the olfactory system to a specific site offers an approach to understanding factors associated with pheromonal communication in fishes, which is complementary to electrophysiological and behavioural studies.…”