In the course of evolution, the strong and unremitting selective pressure on sensory performance has driven the acuity of sensory organs to its physical limits. As a consequence, the study of primary sensory processes illustrates impressively how far a physiological function can be improved if the survival of a species depends on it. Sensory cells that detect single-photons, single molecules, mechanical motions on a nanometer scale, or incredibly small Xuctuations of electromagnetic Welds have

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... ascinated physiologists for a long time. It is a great challenge to understand the primary sensory processes on a molecular level. This review points out some important recent developments in the search for primary processes in sensory cells that mediate touch perception, hearing, vision, taste, olfaction, as well as the analysis of light polarization and the orientation in the Earth's magnetic Weld. The data are screened for common transduction strategies and common transduction molecules, an aspect that may be helpful for researchers in the Weld. Abbreviations CNG Channel cyclic nucleotide-gated channel ENaC Epithelial sodium channel GARP Glutamic acid-rich protein GPCR GTP-binding protein coupled receptor IHC Inner hair cell INAD Inactivation no after-potential D MEC Mechanosensitive channel-related protein OHC Outer hair cell ORN Olfactory receptor neuron PDE Phosphodiesterase PDZ Domain postsynaptic density/discs-large/zonula occludens domain TRP