Characterizing and modeling concentration-response curves of olfactory receptor cells
The spike frequency of olfactory receptor cells in response to different odorants at various concentrations was measured experimentally. The concentration-response curves were constructed and characterized by biologically significant parameters measuring the amplitude, sensitivity and dynamic range of the responses. The parameters that vary independently for different odorants and neurons are candidates for qualitative coding in olfaction. The curves can be accounted for by a model of the receptor cell we developed. This model suggests that most of the variability in sensitivity results from the variability of odorantreceptor binding characteristics.
olfaction receptor neuron frequency coding interspike interval transduction