Electrical circuitry of an insect olfactory sensillum

A biophysical model of an insect olfactory sensillum in steady-state condit ions is presented. The model has two distinguishing features. Firstly, it d escribes analytically the extracellularly recorded potential, thus closing formally the gap between theoretical models and experimental results. Secon dly, it integrates in a single description two extreme models previously in vestigated: that of the classical neuron located in a homogeneous environme nt and that of the neuron surrounded with auxiliary cells. The generalized model presented gives the opportunity of studying the response properties o f the neuron to odors at various concentrations in a broader context. (C) 2 001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.