Copper Implied in Human Olfactation

Discussion in 'The Cesspool' started by arauca, Feb 7, 2012.

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  1. arauca Banned Banned

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    But the research has led scientists at Duke University Medical Center and the University of Albany to the discovery that it's the copper in our bodies that makes mammals recoil from sulfur chemical smells.

    Working with Eric Block, Ph.D., the Carla Rizzo Delray Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of Albany, the team looked at reasons why mammals, including people, can detect even trace amounts of sulfur-containing substances, like MTMT.

    "While we were doing our experiments, on even very dilute specimens of MTMT, our neighbors on the lab hallway complained," Matsunami said with a laugh. He is an associate professor of molecular genetics and microbiology and of neurobiology at Duke. The Duke laboratory ran a high-throughput test of several hundred mammalian odor receptors, and found that one receptor that bound copper ions resulted in superior detection of even trace amounts of sulfur.

    Rotten egg smell, skunk spray, volcanic gases and odorized natural gas (for leak detection) are examples of sulfur-containing substances.

    The work was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online the week of Feb. 6.

    "We learned that copper was the metal that allowed for detection of all the sulfur-containing compounds we tested, and it was Eric Block's idea that metal ions must be involved," Matsunami said. "I see no reason why the mouse receptor activity would be different from human receptors, because we have the same kind of olfactory receptors."

    Block and colleagues created several dozen sulfur-containing compounds for testing.

    The odor impact of the sulfur-containing molecule MTMT can be attenuated by manipulating the copper concentration in the nasal mucus. The team also did experiments using a chemical that binds to copper in the mouse nose, so that copper wasn't available to the receptors, and the mice didn't detect the MTMT, Matsunami said.

    "This study establishes for the first time the key role of a metal, namely copper, in the activity of an olfactory receptor," Eric Block said. "What's also exciting is that, because olfactory receptors are transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) of the same type as receptors for drugs, our discovery suggests a possibility that some drug receptor responses may also be enhanced in the presence of copper or other metal ions."

    Provided by Duke University Medical Center
     
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  3. rpenner Fully Wired Valued Senior Member

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    1) Why do you cut and paste from press releases?
    2) What does this have to do with any scripture? ( Did scripture motivate any of this research? Does scripture endorse the implication that mouse olfaction and human olfaction differ only slightly due to divergence since the time they were in a common ancestral population? Does scripture mention any organic sulfur compound like MTMT or authorize experiments on what animals can smell? )
    3) Why did you incompetently cut and paste this article so that the "But" your excerpt begins with doesn't actually refer to anything prior?
    4) Why did you not discuss any part of the press release or the article

    The Full press release:
    http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/dumc-c020312.php
    http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/news/copper-love-chemical-big-sulfur-stink

    The research article does not appear to be online just yet.
     
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  5. Trippy ALEA IACTA EST Staff Member

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    I had intended to modify the thread title lastnightm but got distracted with other stuff - title has now been fixed.
     
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  7. arauca Banned Banned

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    Answers

    1) Ir was something that was interesting about the olfactory sensor and what chemical is responsible .
    2) In research work many times you are focused on one thing , but you dont have to discard other observation. ( in the 1960 at Illinois inst. of tech. they were working on a special Gas chromat. for odor identification and I don't remember how it ended .) so it a remainder of that project .
    3 ) part is answered in 2)
    4) since this is a chemical section I thought chemist will associate copper and sulfur compound,
    But it was interesting to see many people looked into the article , but there was no response but your respond . The sentence " the scripture say " scared them off, I think that is funny.
     
  8. origin Heading towards oblivion Valued Senior Member

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    I saw the title and I read the OP. I didn't respond because the title was so disconnected from the OP that I thought maybe the poster had a mental defect or was drunk and it was not worth responding to.:shrug:
     
  9. arauca Banned Banned

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    So I have temporary insanity. look for the content and not for the wrapper.
     
  10. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    I'm sure you meant to say color. Smell is actually color.
     
  11. arauca Banned Banned

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    spgoat, FILL me in on the color
     
  12. Captain Kremmen All aboard, me Hearties! Valued Senior Member

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    Ezekiel 22:20
    As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.


    Ezekiel is clearly talking about the role of copper in human olfaction here.
     
  13. arauca Banned Banned

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    Brother, you are very good in the scripture, That melting will make some sort of alloy.
     
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