生体膜における化学センサ-をモデルとした人工膜センサ-

概要

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In biological systems, most typical chemical sensors are olfactory and taste organs. The present article deals with molecular mechanisms of transduction in these organs and artificial chemical sensor based on the mechanisms in the organs.<BR>The responses to odorants are seen not only in olfactory systems but also in non-olfactory systems such as neuroblastoma cells which must have no specific receptor proteins for odorants. The lipid bilayers also exhibit the membrane potential changes in response to various odorants similarly to olfactory cells. Changes in lipid composition of the membranes lead to changes in specificity of the membranes to odorants. Odor discrimination can be explained by postulating that the membrane composition of each olfactory cell is different from cell to cell.<BR>Sweet substances and amino acids are recognized by specific receptor proteins in taste receptor membranes, while specific proteins unique to taste cells are not concerned with reception of salts, acids and bitter substances. The membrane potential of lipid bilayers is changed inresponse to various bitter substances similarly to taste cells. The membrane potential changes are induced by the phase boundary potential changes.
日本膜学会の論文