| Title: | Why are insect olfactory receptor neurons grouped into sensilla? The teachings of a model investigating the effects of the electrical interaction between neurons on the transepithelial potential and the neuronal transmembrane potential |
| Address: | "Royal Netherlands Naval College, Het Nieuwe Diep 8, 1781 AC Den Helder, The Netherlands. a.vermeulen@kim.nl" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00249-004-0405-4 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0175-7571 (Print) 0175-7571 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Insect olfactory receptor neurons are compartmentalized in sensilla. In a sensillum, typically two receptor neurons are in close contact and can influence each other through electrical interaction during stimulation. This interaction is passive, non-synaptic and a consequence of the electrical structure of the sensillum. It is analysed in a sensillum model and its effects on the neuron receptor potentials are investigated. The neurons in a sensillum can be both sensitive to a given odorant compound with the same sensory threshold or with different thresholds, or only one neuron be sensitive to the odorant. These three types of sensilla are compared with respect to maximum amplitude, threshold and dynamic range of the potentials. It is found that gathering neurons in the same sensillum is disadvantageous if they are identical, but can be advantageous if their thresholds differ. Application of these results to actual recordings from pheromone and food-odour olfactory sensilla is discussed" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Computer Simulation Differential Threshold/physiology Insecta/*physiology *Models, Neurological Nerve Net/*physiology Odorants Olfactory Receptor Neurons/*physiology Sense Organs/*physiology Smell/*physiology Synaptic Transmission/*physiology;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineVermeulen, Arthur Rospars, Jean-Pierre eng Comparative Study Evaluation Study Germany 2004/05/13 Eur Biophys J. 2004 Nov; 33(7):633-43. doi: 10.1007/s00249-004-0405-4. Epub 2004 May 12" |
