Molecular Biology of Odorant Receptors in Vertebrates

The initial step in olfactory discrimination involves the interaction of odorous ligands with specific receptors on the surface of olfactory sensory neurons. The foundation for a molecular understanding of odor recognition in vertebrates was provided by the identification of a family of genes encoding putative odorant receptors, by Buck olfactory sensory neurons express a small subset of the OR repertoire; in rat and mouse, axons of neurons expressing the same OR converge onto defined glomeruli in the olfactory bulb.