A team of scientists from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) recently made a major breakthrough in understanding how cells in the nose detect odors. The researchers used a combination of cellular and genetic techniques to uncover a new cellular mechanism that underlies olfactory function. This mechanism could one day be used to develop new treatments for disorders of smell.

The team’s research focused on how cells in the nose detect odors. They discovered that cells in the nose contain odorant receptors, which are proteins that bind to specific molecules in the air and trigger an electrical signal when they do. The team then investigated how this mechanism works at a molecular level and found that a specific protein, called SNX17, plays a key role in allowing the receptors to detect odors.

This research provides a better understanding of how cells in the nose detect odors, and could lead to new treatments for people with disorders of smell. The findings could also have implications for understanding other olfactory functions, such as the sense of taste and pheromone detection.

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source: Phys.org