How did Linda B. Buck research smell receptors?
Our approach was highly empirical, starting with molecular identification. We first identified the multigene family encoding odorant receptors, essentially finding the 'keys' to different smells. Then, a crucial step was to determine how these receptors are expressed. We established the 'one receptor-one neuron' rule, showing that each individual olfactory sensory neuron expresses only a single type of odorant receptor gene. By mapping these expression patterns, we could begin to understand the logic of how the olfactory system forms neural maps in the brain.
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