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Updated: Nov 21, 2025

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay
Published on: October 2, 2017
The cyclic AMP signaling pathway in the rodent main olfactory system
Anna Boccaccio1, Anna Menini2, Simone Pifferi2,3
1Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council (CNR), Genova, Italy. anna.boccaccio@ibf.cnr.it.
Abstract:
Odor perception begins with the detection of odorant molecules by the main olfactory epithelium located in the nasal cavity. Odorant molecules bind to and activate a large family of G-protein-coupled odorant receptors and trigger a cAMP-mediated transduction cascade that converts the chemical stimulus into an electrical signal transmitted to the brain. Morever, odorant receptors and cAMP signaling plays a relevant role in olfactory sensory neuron development and axonal targeting to the olfactory bulb. This review will first explore the physiological response of olfactory sensory neurons to odorants and then analyze the different components of cAMP signaling and their different roles in odorant detection and olfactory sensory neuron development.
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