Odour Receptors

Abstract

WHILE there is evidence¹ that the odour of any compound is related to low-frequency molecular vibrations which give rise to infra-red absorptions in the 15–20µ region of the spectrum, and to Raman shifts below 600 cm.⁻¹, there is at present no information concerning the nature of the receptors of these energies. Yet it is quite clear that the olfactory epithelium must contain molecules capable of interacting with the odorant in the nasal space. Moreover, unless the interaction between odorants and receptors occurs within the epithelial cells, which is most unlikely, due to the rapidity of reception of odour and the tremendous variability in solubility of compounds with similar smells, the receptors must be located on the interface between the epithelial cells and the air cavity. Working on this basis, we have attempted to investigate the nature of compounds specifically located on this interface.