Title: | The vomeronasal organ and adjacent glands express components of signaling cascades found in sensory neurons in the main olfactory system |
Author(s): | Lee SJ; Mammen A; Kim EJ; Kim SY; Park YJ; Park M; Han HS; Bae YC; Ronnett GV; Moon C; |
Address: | "Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1016-8478 (Print) 1016-8478 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a sensory organ that influences social and/or reproductive behavior and, in many cases, the survival of an organism. The VNO is believed to mediate responses to pheromones; however, many mechanisms of signal transduction in the VNO remain elusive. Here, we examined the expression of proteins involved in signal transduction that are found in the main olfactory system in the VNO. The localization of many signaling molecules in the VNO is quite different from those in the main olfactory system, suggesting differences in signal transduction mechanisms between these two chemosensory organs. Various signaling molecules are expressed in distinct areas of VNO sensory epithelium. Interestingly, we found the expressions of groups of these signaling molecules in glandular tissues adjacent to VNO, supporting the physiological significance of these glandular tissues. Our finding of high expression of signaling proteins in glandular tissues suggests that neurohumoral factors influence glandular tissues to modulate signaling cascades that in turn alter the responses of the VNO to hormonal status" |
Keywords: | Animals Epithelium/metabolism Immunohistochemistry Olfactory Pathways/cytology/*metabolism Rats Sensory Receptor Cells/cytology/*metabolism *Signal Transduction Vomeronasal Organ/cytology/*metabolism;Neuroscience; |
Notes: | "MedlineLee, Sang Jin Mammen, Alex Kim, Esther J Kim, So Yeun Park, Yun Ju Park, Mira Han, Hyung Soo Bae, Yong-Chul Ronnett, Gabriele V Moon, Cheil eng R01 DC002979/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ R01 DC004736/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Korea (South) 2008/08/20 Mol Cells. 2008 Nov 30; 26(5):503-13" |