| Title: | Electrophysiological evidence for detection and discrimination of pheromonal bile acids by the olfactory epithelium of female sea lampreys ( Petromyzon marinus) |
| Address: | "Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA" |
| Journal Title: | J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00359-003-0484-1 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0340-7594 (Print) 0340-7594 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Electro-olfactograms were used to determine sensitivity and specificity of olfactory organs of female sea lampreys ( Petromyzon marinus) to four bile acids: 3-keto petromyzonol sulfate and 3-keto allocholic acid from spermiating males and petromyzonol sulfate and allocholic acid from larvae. Spermiating male bile acids are thought to function as a mating pheromone and larval bile acids as a migratory pheromone. The response threshold was 10(-12) mol l(-1) for 3-keto petromyzonol sulfate and 10(-10) mol l(-1) for the other bile acids. At concentrations above 10(-9) mol l(-1), the sulfated bile acids showed almost identical potency, as did the non-sulfated bile acids. The two sulfated bile acids were more potent than the two non-sulfated ones. In addition, 3-keto petromyzonol sulfate and water conditioned with spermiating males induced similar concentration-response curves and response thresholds. Cross-adaptation experiments demonstrated that the sulfated and non-sulfated bile acids represent different odors to the olfactory epithelium of females. Further exploration revealed that 3-keto petromyzonol sulfate represents a different odor than petromyzonol sulfate, while 3-keto allocholic acid and allocholic acid represent the same odor. Results indicate that male-specific bile acids are potent and specific stimulants to the female olfactory organ, supporting the previous hypothesis that these bile acids function as a pheromone" |
| Keywords: | "Adaptation, Physiological/physiology Analysis of Variance Animals Behavior, Animal Bile Acids and Salts/chemistry/classification/*metabolism/pharmacology Discrimination, Psychological/*physiology Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Electrophysiology/*methods;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineSiefkes, M J Li, W eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Germany 2003/12/23 J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2004 Mar; 190(3):193-9. doi: 10.1007/s00359-003-0484-1. Epub 2003 Dec 20" |
