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This volume contains the Proceedings of the 25th Mosbach Colloquium, the general theme of which is the Biochemistry of Sensory Functions. It was intended, continuing the silver-tradition of these Colloquia, to provide the uninitiated biochemist with an insight into the current status of a line of research in Molecular Biology which, more than many other fields in Biochemistry, has maintained its contacts with and respect for Physiology. The speakers were asked to attempt to outline their topic sufficiently to define the fundamentals and to build up upon this basis the more sophisticated details of their own studies. It is for the reader to evaluate how well both organizer and participants 1 have attained this end - These Proceedings not only mirror the hubs around which several groups of scientists wheel but may also serve as a source of literature references and for the advanced student as an introduction to this highly up-to-date branch of Biochemistry, although no index is provided as the table of con tents is considered sufficient to locate most of the s,

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Photoreception.- Biochemistry of Visual Pigments in Relation to Visual Excitation.- Discussion.- The Role of Protons in the Metarhodopsin I-II Transition.- Aktivitäten von ATPasen im Fliegen-Auge.- Thermal and Photic Regeneration of Rhodopsin in Perfused Frog Retina.- Experiments on the Isomerization of 11-cis-Retinal.- Cephalopod Retinochrome.- Discussion.- Vergleichende Aspekte der Photorezeption von Retinal-Proteinkomplexen.- On the Ionic Mechanisms Responsible for the Generation of the Electrical Response of Light Sensitive Cells.- Chemoreception.- Chemotaxis in Bacteria.- The Chemotactic Response in Bacteria.- Discussion.- Functions of Bacteriorhodopsin.- The Role of the Escherichia Coli Galactose-Binding Protein in Galactose Transport and Chemotaxis.- Discussion.- ?-Glucosidases as Sugar Receptor Proteins in Flies.- Discussion.- Thaumation and Monellin, the Intensely Sweet-Tasting Proteins from Tropical African Fruits.- Sensory Transduction in Insect Olfactory Receptors.- Discussion.- A Formalism on Selective Molecular Interactions.- Cell Communication and Cyclic-AMP Regulation during Aggregation of the Slime Mold, Dictyostelium discoideum.- Discussion.- Conjugation of the Ciliate Blepharisma: A Possible Model System for Biochemistry of Sensory Mechanisms.- Discussion.- Chemical Signal Transmission by Gamete Attractants in Brown Algae.- Energy Transfer and Signal Conversion.- On the Significance of Two-Dimensional Super-Structures in Biomembranes for Energy-Transfer and Signal Conversion.- Discussion.- On the Topography of Photoreceptor Membranes.- Carrier and Pore Mechanisms in Lipid Membranes.- Discussion.- Drugs to Explore the Ionic Channels in the Axon Membrane.- Discussion.- Mechanisms of Electrical Membrane Responses in Sensory Receptors, Illustrated by Mechanoreceptors.- Discussion.- Cell Cultures as Model Systems for Studying the Biochemistry of Differentiated Functions of Nerve Cells.- Discussion.- Immunogenetic Studies on Cell Surface Components of the Mammalian Nervous System.- Neurotransmission.- zu den Vorträgen Nachmansohn und Neumann.- Biochemical Foundation of an Integral Model of Nerve Excitability.- Towards a Molecular Model of Nerve Excitability.- Discussion.- Aspects of the Biochemistry of Cholinergic Transmission in Torpedo and Loligo.- An Experimental Model for Exocytosis of Chromaffin Granules.- Discussion.- Characterization of an Acetylcholine Receptor.- Discussion.- Biochemistry of Serotonin and Synaptic Membranes in Neurotransmission.- Discussion.- Purification of Serotonin- and LSD-binding Proteins from Synaptic Membranes.- Biochemistry of Learning Processes.- Biochemical Concomitants of the Storage of Behavioral Information.- Discussion.- Besseres Lernen und Behalten in Schwerem Wasser bei Fischen.- Versuche zur chemischen Übertragbarkeit erworbener Informationen.- Discussion.- Epilogue.

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