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Olfactory transduction is intrinsically noisy

G Lowe1, G H Gold

  • 1Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|August 15, 1995
PubMed
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Investigating noise in rat olfactory receptor cells revealed intrinsic fluctuations in the cyclic AMP pathway. This internal cellular noise, not stimulus-dependent, limits the detection of even single odorant molecules.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Sensory Physiology

Background:

  • Olfactory signal detection is crucial for survival.
  • Noise in sensory systems can limit detection thresholds.
  • The precise sources of noise in olfactory transduction are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the sources of noise limiting olfactory signal detection in rat olfactory receptor cells.
  • To differentiate between stimulus-dependent and intrinsic noise in olfactory transduction.

Main Methods:

  • Studied currents in dissociated rat olfactory receptor cells.
  • Measured near-threshold odorant-evoked currents.
  • Induced currents by elevating intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) in the absence of odorants.

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Main Results:

  • Observed large random fluctuations in near-threshold odorant-evoked currents.
  • Found similar fluctuations when currents were induced by elevated intracellular cAMP without odorants.
  • Demonstrated that these fluctuations are intrinsic to the transduction mechanism.

Conclusions:

  • Olfactory transduction possesses intrinsic noise.
  • This intrinsic noise, originating from the cAMP pathway, limits the reliable detection of olfactory signals.
  • The quantal nature of odorant stimuli is not the primary source of noise at near-threshold levels.