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Physiol Behav

Title:		An ephemeral pheromone of female house mice: perception via the main and accessory olfactory systems
Author(s):		Sipos ML; Wysocki CJ; Nyby JG; Wysocki L; Nemura TA;
Address:		"Department of Psychology, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA"
Journal Title:		Physiol Behav
Year:		1995
Volume:		58
Issue:		3
Page Number:		529 - 534
DOI:		10.1016/0031-9384(95)00089-2
ISSN/ISBN:		0031-9384 (Print) 0031-9384 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Two experiments examined the chemosensory modalities by which males detect an ephemeral sex pheromone in the freshly voided urine of female mice. Experiment 1 examined the interaction of deafferenting the accessory olfactory system (vomeronasal organ removal) and subsequent sexual experience upon ultrasonic vocalizations by male mice to freshly voided female urine. In general, sexually experienced males vocalized substantially more than sexually naive males. In addition, males possessing a vomeronasal organ vocalized slightly more than those without. Nonetheless, a functioning vomeronasal organ clearly was not essential for vocalizing to fresh female urine. Experiment 2 examined the effects of deafferenting the main olfactory system (ZnSO4 nasal irrigation) and/or the accessory olfactory system (vomeronasal removal) in sexually experienced males. Males with both olfactory systems functioning vocalized at high levels to fresh urine, while males with only one functioning system vocalized at intermediate levels. Males with neither system functioning did not vocalize at all to fresh urine. In contrast, when female mice themselves served as stimuli, all groups of males vocalized at high levels. We conclude that adult male mice can detect the ephemeral pheromone via either the main olfactory system or the accessory olfactory system. However, vocalizations to the female herself can be mediated by other sensory systems as well"
Keywords:		"Animals Crosses, Genetic Female Male Mice Mice, Inbred AKR Mice, Inbred C57BL Olfactory Bulb/*physiology Olfactory Mucosa/innervation Olfactory Pathways/*physiology Olfactory Receptor Neurons/*physiology Sex Attractants/*urine Sexual Behavior, Animal/*phy;"
Notes:		"MedlineSipos, M L Wysocki, C J Nyby, J G Wysocki, L Nemura, T A eng 1995/09/01 Physiol Behav. 1995 Sep; 58(3):529-34. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(95)00089-2"