Olfactory receptor neurons from antennae of developing male Manduca sexta respond to components of the species-specific sex pheromone in vitro.

Male-specific olfactory receptor neurons, dissociated from developing antennae of the moth Manduca sexta and grown in long-term primary cell culture, can respond to at least one component of the female moth's sex-pheromone blend with the opening of a nonspecific cation channel. This response does not require the coapplication of pheromone-binding protein.