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The present status of the ‘carrier hypothesis’ for chemosensory recognition of genetic individuality

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Abstract

The hypothesis that soluble MHC Class I molecules could act as the vector which transports MHC‐specific odours from the blood into the urine was put forward some ten years ago (Singh, Brown Roser, 1987). Here, I summarise new evidence in favour of the hypothesis.

‘We propose that the ability of MHC Class I molecules to associate in a selective way with other small molecules could also be the mechanism by which a unique mixture of volatile, endogenous metabolites is transported by [soluble] class I MHC glycoproteins from the blood into the urine’ (Singh, Brown Roser, 1987).

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Singh, P.B. The present status of the ‘carrier hypothesis’ for chemosensory recognition of genetic individuality. Genetica 104, 231–233 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026475118901

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