Katz Donald B, Matsunami Hiroaki, Rinberg Dmitry, Scott Kristin, Wachowiak Matt, Wilson Rachel I
Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454, USA.
J Neurosci. 2008 Nov 12;28(46):11802-5. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3613-08.2008.
The chemical senses, smell and taste, are the most poorly understood sensory modalities. In recent years, however, the field of chemosensation has benefited from new methods and technical innovations that have accelerated the rate of scientific progress. For example, enormous advances have been made in identifying olfactory and gustatory receptor genes and mapping their expression patterns. Genetic tools now permit us to monitor and control neural activity in vivo with unprecedented precision. New imaging techniques allow us to watch neural activity patterns unfold in real time. Finally, improved hardware and software enable multineuron electrophysiological recordings on an expanded scale. These innovations have enabled some fresh approaches to classic problems in chemosensation.
化学感觉，即嗅觉和味觉，是人们了解最少的感觉方式。然而，近年来，化学感觉领域受益于新方法和技术创新，这些创新加快了科学进步的速度。例如，在识别嗅觉和味觉受体基因以及绘制它们的表达模式方面已经取得了巨大进展。遗传工具现在使我们能够以前所未有的精度在体内监测和控制神经活动。新的成像技术使我们能够实时观察神经活动模式的展开。最后，改进的硬件和软件能够在更大规模上进行多神经元电生理记录。这些创新为解决化学感觉中的经典问题带来了一些新方法。
