Odotope theory, also known as weak shape theory, is a theory of how

olfactory receptor Olfactory receptors (ORs), also known as odorant receptors, are chemoreceptors expressed in the cell membranes of olfactory receptor neurons and are responsible for the detection of odorants (for example, compounds that have an odor) which give r ...

s bind to

odor An odor (American English) or odour ( Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds that are generally found in low concentrations that humans and animals can perceive via their sen ...

molecules. The theory proposes that a combination of shape factors determine the coupling. The word itself is an analogy to

epitope An epitope, also known as antigenic determinant, is the part of an antigen that is recognized by the immune system, specifically by antibodies, B cells, or T cells. The epitope is the specific piece of the antigen to which an antibody binds. The p ...

References

* Mori, K. and Shepherd, GM. (1994). Emerging principles of molecular signal processing by mitral/tufted cells in the olfactory bulb. Semin Cell Biol 5-1:65-74. * Burr, Chandler. The Emperor of Scent: A true story of perfume and obsession. Random House, New York: 2002. Olfaction Theories {{receptor-stub

See also

References