Title: | Vomeronasal organ detects odorants in absence of signaling through main olfactory epithelium |
Address: | "Molecular and Cellular Biology Program and Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Box 357750, 1959 NE Pacific St., Seattle, Washington 98195, USA" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1097-6256 (Print) 1097-6256 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "It is commonly assumed that odorants are detected by the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) and pheromones are sensed through the vomeronasal organ (VNO). The complete loss of MOE-mediated olfaction in type-3 adenylyl cyclase knockout mice (AC3-/-) allowed us to examine chemosensory functions of the VNO in the absence of signaling through the MOE. Here we report that AC3-/- mice are able to detect certain volatile odorants via the VNO. These same odorants elicited electro-olfactogram transients in the VNO and MOE of wild-type mice, but only VNO responses in AC3-/- mice. This indicates that some odorants are detected through an AC3-independent pathway in the VNO" |
Keywords: | "Adenylyl Cyclases/deficiency/genetics Animals Isoenzymes/deficiency/genetics Mice Mice, Knockout *Odorants Olfactory Mucosa/drug effects/*physiology Signal Transduction/drug effects/*physiology Smell/drug effects/*physiology Vomeronasal Organ/drug effects;" |
Notes: | "MedlineTrinh, Kien Storm, Daniel R eng DC04156/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ HL07312-22/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS/ T32 GMO7270/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Comparative Study Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. 2003/04/01 Nat Neurosci. 2003 May; 6(5):519-25. doi: 10.1038/nn1039" |