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Theriogenology

Title:		Increased squalene concentrations in the clitoral gland during the estrous cycle in rats: an estrus-indicating scent mark?
Author(s):		Achiraman S; Archunan G; Abirami B; Kokilavani P; Suriyakalaa U; Sankarganesh D; Kamalakkannan S; Kannan S; Habara Y; Sankar R;
Address:		"Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu, India"
Journal Title:		Theriogenology
Year:		2011
Volume:		20110914
Issue:		9
Page Number:		1676 - 1683
DOI:		10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.06.033
ISSN/ISBN:		1879-3231 (Electronic) 0093-691X (Linking)
Abstract:		"Squalene in the rat clitoral gland is reported to be semi-volatile and may serve as a chemo-signal. The objective was to determine squalene concentrations in the clitoral gland throughout the reproductive cycle. Clitoral glands were extracted with dichloromethane; 23 compounds were identified with Gas Chromatography linked Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Since squalene concentrations were significantly higher during proestrus and estrus, and remarkably reduced during metestrus and diestrus, we inferred that it could be an ovulation-indicating chemosignal in the female rat, acting as a scent mark for the male. This hypothesis was tested by investigating its efficacy to attract males, including studying the role of the olfactory-vomeronasal system of the male in perceiving squalene. For detection of squalene, males used their conventional olfactory system when at a distance from the female, whereas the vomeronasal organ was used when they were in close proximity to the female. We concluded that squalene was a female-specific chemosignal that attracted males, and furthermore, that the olfactory-vomeronasal system had an important role in the perception of squalene"
Keywords:		"Animals Behavior, Animal/drug effects Clitoris/metabolism Estrus/*metabolism Estrus Detection Female Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Grooming/drug effects Male Rats Rats, Wistar Sex Attractants/*metabolism Squalene/*metabolism/pharmacology Vomeronasa;"
Notes:		"MedlineAchiraman, Shanmugam Archunan, Govindaraju Abirami, Bethunaicken Kokilavani, Palanivel Suriyakalaa, Udhayaraj SankarGanesh, Devaraj Kamalakkannan, Soundararajan Kannan, Soundarapandian Habara, Yoshiaki Sankar, Ramaiyan eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2011/09/20 Theriogenology. 2011 Dec; 76(9):1676-83. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.06.033. Epub 2011 Sep 14"