The cellular basis of olfaction

Abstract

Smell is one of the most important senses driving basic patterns of behaviour in most of the earth's animal species. It plays a role in food-finding, kin recognition, reproductive behaviour, the predator-prey relationship, mother-infant recognition, homing behaviour, nest-finding, and other behaviours. Students of animal behaviour have studied the role of olfaction extensively, but until recently little detail was known about the biology of the cells that respond to odours. This article describes some recent advances in our understanding of these cells.