| Address: | "Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; email: Stephen_Liberles@hms.harvard.edu" |
| DOI: | 10.1146/annurev-physiol-021113-170334 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1545-1585 (Electronic) 0066-4278 (Print) 0066-4278 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Mammalian pheromones control a myriad of innate social behaviors and acutely regulate hormone levels. Responses to pheromones are highly robust, reproducible, and stereotyped and likely involve developmentally predetermined neural circuits. Here, I review several facets of pheromone transduction in mammals, including (a) chemosensory receptors and signaling components of the main olfactory epithelium and vomeronasal organ involved in pheromone detection; (b) pheromone-activated neural circuits subject to sex-specific and state-dependent modulation; and (c) the striking chemical diversity of mammalian pheromones, which range from small, volatile molecules and sulfated steroids to large families of proteins. Finally, I review (d) molecular mechanisms underlying various behavioral and endocrine responses, including modulation of puberty and estrous; control of reproduction, aggression, suckling, and parental behaviors; individual recognition; and distinguishing of own species from predators, competitors, and prey. Deconstruction of pheromone transduction mechanisms provides a critical foundation for understanding how odor response pathways generate instinctive behaviors" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Behavior/physiology Behavior, Animal/physiology Humans Mammals/*physiology Odorants Olfactory Bulb/physiology Olfactory Mucosa/physiology Olfactory Pathways/anatomy & histology/physiology Olfactory Receptor Neurons/physiology Pheromones/*physiolog;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineLiberles, Stephen D eng P30 HD018655/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ R01 DC010155/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Review 2013/08/31 Annu Rev Physiol. 2014; 76:151-75. doi: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-021113-170334. Epub 2013 Aug 26" |
