[Receptors of the olfactory cells: the problem of their identification and characteristics].

Own and some last literary data on the vertebrate olfactory receptors are summarized. Special attention is devoted to the identification of these receptors. The connection of these receptors with the proteins binding the guanosine triphosphate is demonstrated. On this basis a biochemical test to elicit the olfactory receptors is proposed. Using the boar pheromon receptor the application of this test to differentiate the true olfactory receptor and a respiratory lining component that binds the pheromon with the same characteristics like the receptor is shown. The olfactory receptors may be represented no only by the integral but also by peripheric membrane proteins. The questions on the olfactory mucosa receptors and mechanism of the signal transduction in the olfactory cell have been discussed.