Human sperm cannot smell Lilies-of-the-Valley

As part of an investigation of how sperm find their way to ova, the following was reported in the Max Planck Gesellschaft:

In their current study, the Bonn researchers demonstrate, in cooperation with scientists from the Forschungszentrum Jülich, that the Lily of the Valley scent imitates the effect of progesterone on sperm: Bourgeonal opens the CatSper channels directly -- that is without deviation via olfactory receptors and complex biochemical signalling pathways as found in olfactory cells. However, the scents only work at concentrations over 1000 times higher than progesterone. Therefore, scents only work if overdosed. The "Lily of the Valley phenomenon" is a laboratory artefact: sperm do not have an olfactory signalling pathway.

Via Science Daily.