Primary processes in sensory cells

• Verfasst von: Frings, Stephan [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Primary processes in sensory cells
• Titelzusatz: current advances
• Verf.angabe: Stephan Frings
• Umfang: 27 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 08.05.2017
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: López-Larrea, Carlos, 1953 - : Sensing in Nature
• Jahr Quelle: 2012
• Band/Heft Quelle: (2012), S. 32-58
• ISBN Quelle: 978-1-4614-1704-0
• DOI: doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-1704-0_3
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• Bibliogr. Hinweis: Erscheint auch als Druck-Ausgabe: Frings, Stephan, 1956 - : Primary processes in sensory cells
• K10plus-PPN: 1558323708

Abstract

In the course of evolution, the strong and unremitting selective pressure on sensory performance has driven the acuity of sensory organs to its physical limits. As a consequence, the study of primary sensory processes illustrates impressively how far a physiological function can be improved, if the survival of a species depends on it. Sensory cells that detect single-photons, single molecules, mechanical motions on a nanometer scale, or incredibly small fluctuations of electromagnetic fields have fascinated physiologists for a long time. It is a great challenge to understand the primary sensory processes on a molecular level. This chapter points out some important recent developments in the search for primary processes in sensory cells that mediate touch perception, hearing, vision, taste, olfaction, as well as the analysis of light polarization and the orientation in the Earth’s magnetic field. The data are screened for common transduction strategies and common transduction molecules, an aspect that may be helpful for researchers in the field.