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Nature Neuroscience 10, 138–140 (1 February 2007) | doi:10.1038/nn0207-138

Olfactory identity kicked up a NOTCH

Stefan Fuss , Arzu |[Ccedil]|elik & Claude Desplan

A new study shows that the identity of olfactory sensory neurons in flies is regulated by Notch signaling, which divides the neurons into two classes that express specific sets of olfactory receptors and project to distinct glomeruli. Animals as well as humans rely on their sense of smell in everyday life to identify appropriate and palatable food, to avoid predators and sources of danger, and to make mating choices. The olfactory system is thus confronted with the complex task of detecting and discriminating a seemingly endless number of different odor cues.