Journal of Pharmacogenomics & Pharmacoproteomics

Abstract

Human Olfactory Receptors Expression and Their Role in Non-Olfactory Tissues – A Mini-Review

Tatjana Abaffy

The expression of human olfactory receptors in non-olfactory tissues has been documented since the early nineties, however, until recently their functional roles were largely unknown. Many studies have demonstrated that these G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are actively involved in various cellular processes. Here, we summarized current evidence describing the most prominent expression and functional data for these ectopic olfactory receptors. Further studies focused on discovering their ligands, both agonists and antagonists, will be necessary to fully characterize molecular mechanisms underlying their functional roles in human physiology and pathophysiology.