Tags: Protein.
Odorant-binding proteins are abundant small soluble proteins secreted in the nasal mucus of many animal species and in the sensillar lymph of chemosensory sensilla of insects. The olfactory receptors of terrestrial animals exist in an aqueous environment yet detect odorants that are primarily hydrophobic. The aqueous solubility of hydrophobic odorants is greatly enhanced via odorant-binding proteins which exist in the extracellular fluid surrounding the odorant receptors.
