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Eur J Neurosci

Title:		Differential activation of glomeruli in the ferret's main olfactory bulb by anal scent gland odours from males and females: an early step in mate identification
Author(s):		Woodley SK; Baum MJ;
Address:		"Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington St., Boston, MA 02215, USA"
Journal Title:		Eur J Neurosci
Year:		2004
Volume:		20
Issue:		4
Page Number:		1025 - 1032
DOI:		10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03571.x
ISSN/ISBN:		0953-816X (Print) 1460-9568 (Electronic) 0953-816X (Linking)
Abstract:		"Peripheral anosmia was previously found to disrupt sex discrimination and partner preference in male and female ferrets. Here we show directly that volatile anal scent gland odourants from male and female ferrets activated overlapping but distinguishable clusters of glomeruli located in the ventral-caudal portion of the main olfactory bulb (MOB) of breeding ferrets of both sexes. No glomerular activation was seen in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). The profile of MOB glomerular activation induced in oestrous females by male anal scents was very similar to that induced by direct contact with a male during mating, and oestrogen treatment failed to alter the profile of glomerular activation induced in ovo-hysterectomized females by male anal scents. In rodents, 'atypical' MOB glomeruli, which have dense acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the neuropil, may be activated by body odours from conspecifics. No such AChE-staining 'atypical' glomeruli were found in the ferret's MOB, suggesting that in this carnivore they do not constitute a subset of MOB glomeruli that respond to body odourants. In ferrets of both sexes, volatile body odourants that are detected by the main as opposed to the vomeronasal-AOB accessory olfactory system may play a critical role in mate identification"
Keywords:		"Anal Sacs/*metabolism/physiology Animals Female Ferrets/*metabolism/physiology Male Olfactory Bulb/*metabolism/physiology Pheromones/*metabolism/physiology Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology;"
Notes:		"MedlineWoodley, Sarah K Baum, Michael J eng R01 HD021094/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ R01 HD021094-17/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ DC00426/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ HD21094/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ F32 DC000426/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ Comparative Study Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. France 2004/08/13 Eur J Neurosci. 2004 Aug; 20(4):1025-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03571.x"