A new transduction mechanism of chemoreceptor cells and cloning of receptor protein

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1) We examined the effects of lipoprotein composed of phosphatidic acid (PA) and beta-lactglobulin (LG) on bitterness of various chemicals by measuring nerve activities of frog glossopharyngeal nerve. PA-LG inhibited the bitterness of various drugs, but did not inhibit that of salts such as MgCl_2, CsCl and tetraethylammonium, suggesting that the receptor for bitter salts is different from other bitter compounds.2) We also examined whether a single olfactory cell responds only to specific odorants. The results obtained showed that a single olfactory cell respond to many different species of odorants, suggesting that a single olfactory cell has many different receptors.3) We prepared slice of rat vomeronasal epithelium and measured currents in response to cAMP and IP3. Injection of cAMP did not elicit current, but that of IP3 induced inward current, Female rat vomeronasal receptor cell responded to urine from male rat. This response was inhibited by inhibitors for production of IP3. These results suggest that IP3 may be a second messenger in reception of urinary pheromone in female rat vomeronasal receptor cell.