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Mercado E, Zhuo J. Do rodents smell with sound? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 167:105908. [PMID: 39343078 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Chemosensation via olfaction is a critical process underlying social interactions in many different species. Past studies of olfaction in mammals often have focused on its mechanisms in isolation from other systems, limiting the generalizability of findings from olfactory research to perceptual processes in other modalities. Studies of chemical communication, in particular, have progressed independently of research on vocal behavior and acoustic communication. Those bioacousticians who have considered how sound production and reception might interact with olfaction often portray odors as cues to the kinds of vocalizations that might be functionally useful. In the olfaction literature, vocalizations are rarely mentioned. Here, we propose that ultrasonic vocalizations may affect what rodents smell by altering the deposition of inhaled particles and that rodents coordinate active sniffing with sound production specifically to enhance reception of pheromones. In this scenario, rodent vocalizations may contribute to a unique mode of active olfactory sensing, in addition to whatever roles they serve as social signals. Consideration of this hypothesis highlights the perceptual advantages that parallel coordination of multiple sensorimotor processes may provide to individuals exploring novel situations and environments, especially those involving dynamic social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Mercado
- University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, USA.
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2
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Zhao D, Hu M, Liu S. Glial cells in the mammalian olfactory bulb. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1426094. [PMID: 39081666 PMCID: PMC11286597 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1426094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The mammalian olfactory bulb (OB), an essential part of the olfactory system, plays a critical role in odor detection and neural processing. Historically, research has predominantly focused on the neuronal components of the OB, often overlooking the vital contributions of glial cells. Recent advancements, however, underscore the significant roles that glial cells play within this intricate neural structure. This review discus the diverse functions and dynamics of glial cells in the mammalian OB, mainly focused on astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, olfactory ensheathing cells, and radial glia cells. Each type of glial contributes uniquely to the OB's functionality, influencing everything from synaptic modulation and neuronal survival to immune defense and axonal guidance. The review features their roles in maintaining neural health, their involvement in neurodegenerative diseases, and their potential in therapeutic applications for neuroregeneration. By providing a comprehensive overview of glial cell types, their mechanisms, and interactions within the OB, this article aims to enhance our understanding of the olfactory system's complexity and the pivotal roles glial cells play in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shaolin Liu
- Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA, United States
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3
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Weldon A, Burrows AM, Wirdateti W, Nugraha TP, Supriatna N, Smith TD, Nekaris KAI. From masks to muscles: Mapping facial structure of Nycticebus. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38872582 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Facial musculature in mammals underlies mastication and nonverbal communicative facial displays. Our understanding of primate facial expression comes primarily from haplorrhines (monkeys and apes), while our understanding of strepsirrhine (lemurs and lorises) facial expression remains incomplete. We examined the facial muscles of six specimens from three Nycticebus species (Nycticebus coucang, Nycticebus javanicus, and Nycticebus menagensis) using traditional dissection methodology and novel three-dimensional facial scanning to produce a detailed facial muscle map, and compared these results to another nocturnal strepsirrhine genus, the greater bushbaby (Otolemur spp.). We observed 19 muscles with no differences among Nycticebus specimens. A total of 17 muscles were observed in both Nycticebus and Otolemur, with little difference in attachment and function but some difference in directionality of movement. In the oral region, we note the presence of the depressor anguli oris, which has been reported in other primate species but is absent in Otolemur. The remaining muscle is a previously undescribed constrictor nasalis muscle located on the lateral nasal alar region, likely responsible for constriction of the nares. We propose this newly described muscle may relate to vomeronasal organ functioning and the importance of the use of nasal musculature in olfactory communication. We discuss how this combined methodology enabled imaging of small complex muscles. We further discuss how the facial anatomy of Nycticebus spp. relates to their unique physiology and behavioral ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Weldon
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - A M Burrows
- Department of Physical Therapy, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - W Wirdateti
- Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, National Research and Innovation Agency [BRIN], Indonesia
| | - T P Nugraha
- Research Center for Applied Zoology, National Research and Innovation Agency [BRIN], Indonesia
| | - N Supriatna
- National Research and Innovation Agency [BRIN], Indonesia
| | - Timothy D Smith
- School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - K A I Nekaris
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
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Jensen J, Stowers L. Sensory neurobiology: Muscles power pheromone sensation. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R257-R259. [PMID: 38531322 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
While we understand how the five main sensory organs enable and facilitate stimulus detection, little is known about how the vomeronasal organ enables pheromone sensation. A new study finds specialized muscles poised to coordinate stimulus delivery, dynamics, and arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Jensen
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lisa Stowers
- Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Kawai F. Somatic ion channels and action potentials in olfactory receptor cells and vomeronasal receptor cells. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:455-471. [PMID: 38264787 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00137.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Olfactory receptor cells are primary sensory neurons that catch odor molecules in the olfactory system, and vomeronasal receptor cells catch pheromones in the vomeronasal system. When odor or pheromone molecules bind to receptor proteins expressed on the membrane of the olfactory cilia or vomeronasal microvilli, receptor potentials are generated in their receptor cells. This initial excitation is transmitted to the soma via dendrites, and action potentials are generated in the soma and/or axon and transmitted to the central nervous system. Thus, olfactory and vomeronasal receptor cells play an important role in converting chemical signals into electrical signals. In this review, the electrophysiological characteristics of ion channels in the somatic membrane of olfactory receptor cells and vomeronasal receptor cells in various species are described and the differences between the action potential dynamics of olfactory receptor cells and vomeronasal receptor cells are compared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fusao Kawai
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
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Edens BM, Bronner ME. Making developmental sense of the senses, their origin and function. Curr Top Dev Biol 2024; 159:132-167. [PMID: 38729675 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2024.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
The primary senses-touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing-connect animals with their environments and with one another. Aside from the eyes, the primary sense organs of vertebrates and the peripheral sensory pathways that relay their inputs arise from two transient stem cell populations: the neural crest and the cranial placodes. In this chapter we consider the senses from historical and cultural perspectives, and discuss the senses as biological faculties. We begin with the embryonic origin of the neural crest and cranial placodes from within the neural plate border of the ectodermal germ layer. Then, we describe the major chemical (i.e. olfactory and gustatory) and mechanical (i.e. vestibulo-auditory and somatosensory) senses, with an emphasis on the developmental interactions between neural crest and cranial placodes that shape their structures and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany M Edens
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Marianne E Bronner
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States.
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Mier Quesada Z, Portillo W, Paredes RG. Behavioral evidence of the functional interaction between the main and accessory olfactory system suggests a large olfactory system with a high plastic capability. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1211644. [PMID: 37908970 PMCID: PMC10613685 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1211644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Olfaction is fundamental in many species of mammals. In rodents, the integrity of this system is required for the expression of parental and sexual behavior, mate recognition, identification of predators, and finding food. Different anatomical and physiological evidence initially indicated the existence of two anatomically distinct chemosensory systems: The main olfactory system (MOS) and the accessory olfactory system (AOS). It was originally conceived that the MOS detected volatile odorants related to food, giving the animal information about the environment. The AOS, on the other hand, detected non-volatile sexually relevant olfactory cues that influence reproductive behaviors and neuroendocrine functions such as intermale aggression, sexual preference, maternal aggression, pregnancy block (Bruce effect), puberty acceleration (Vandenbergh effect), induction of estrous (Whitten effect) and sexual behavior. Over the last decade, several lines of evidence have demonstrated that although these systems could be anatomically separated, there are neuronal areas in which they are interconnected. Moreover, it is now clear that both the MOS and the AOS process both volatile and no-volatile odorants, indicating that they are also functionally interconnected. In the first part of the review, we will describe the behavioral evidence. In the second part, we will summarize data from our laboratory and other research groups demonstrating that sexual behavior in male and female rodents induces the formation of new neurons that reach the main and accessory olfactory bulbs from the subventricular zone. Three factors are essential for the neurons to reach the AOS and the MOS: The stimulation frequency, the stimulus's temporal presentation, and the release of opioids induced by sexual behavior. We propose that the AOS and the MOS are part of a large olfactory system with a high plastic capability, which favors the adaptation of species to different environmental signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zacnite Mier Quesada
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Wendy Portillo
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Raúl G. Paredes
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Querétaro, Mexico
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Pfau DR, Baribeau S, Brown F, Khetarpal N, Marc Breedlove S, Jordan CL. Loss of TRPC2 function in mice alters sex differences in brain regions regulating social behaviors. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:1550-1561. [PMID: 37496437 PMCID: PMC10642801 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
The transient receptor potential cation channel 2 (TRPC2) conveys pheromonal information from the vomeronasal organ (VNO) to the brain. Both male and female mice lacking this gene show altered sex-typical behavior as adults. We asked whether TRPC2, highly expressed in the VNO, normally participates in the development of VNO-recipient brain regions controlling mounting and aggression, two behaviors affected by TRPC2 loss. We now report significant effects of TRPC2 loss in both the posterodorsal aspect of the medial amygdala (MePD) and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) of male and female mice. In the MePD, a sex difference in neuron number was eliminated by the TRPC2 knockout (KO), but the effect was complex, with fewer neurons in the right MePD of females, and fewer neurons in the left MePD of males. In contrast, MePD astrocytes were unaffected by the KO. In the ventrolateral (vl) aspect of the VMH, KO females were like wildtype (WT) females, but TRPC2 loss had a dramatic effect in males, with fewer neurons than WT males and a smaller VMHvl overall. We also discovered a glial sex difference in VMHvl of WTs, with females having more astrocytes than males. Interestingly, TRPC2 loss increased astrocyte number in males in this region. We conclude that TRPC2 normally participates in the sexual differentiation of the mouse MePD and VMHvl. These changes in two key VNO-recipient regions may underlie the effects of the TRPC2 KO on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Pfau
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Sarah Baribeau
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Felix Brown
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Niki Khetarpal
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - S Marc Breedlove
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Cynthia L Jordan
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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Malone CL, Rieger NS, Spool JA, Payette A, Riters LV, Marler CA. Behavioral convergence in defense behaviors in pair bonded individuals correlates with neuroendocrine receptors in the medial amygdala. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114556. [PMID: 37356669 PMCID: PMC10644349 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Monogamous, pair-bonded animals coordinate intra-pair behavior for spatially separated challenges including territorial defense and nest attendance. Paired California mice, a monogamous, territorial and biparental species, approach intruders together or separately, but often express behavioral convergence across intruder challenges. To gain a more systems-wide perspective of potential mechanisms contributing to behavioral convergence across two conspecific intruder challenges, we conducted an exploratory study correlating behavior and receptor mRNA (Days 10 and 17 post-pairing). We examined associations between convergence variability in pair time for intruder-oriented behaviors with a pair mRNA index for oxytocin (OXTR), androgen (AR), and estrogen alpha (ERα) receptors within the medial amygdala (MeA) and the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON), brain regions associated with social behavior. An intruder behavior index revealed a bimodal distribution of intruder-related behaviors in Challenge 1 and a unimodal distribution in Challenge 2, suggesting population behavioral convergence, but no significant correlations with neuroendocrine measures. However, OXTR, AR, and ERα mRNA in the MeA were positively associated with convergence in individual intruder-related behaviors, suggesting multiple mechanisms may influence convergence. Mice could also occupy the nest during intruder challenges and convergence in nest attendance was positively correlated with MeA OXTR. At an individual level, nest attendance was positively associated with MeA ERα. Vocalizations were positively associated with AR and ERα mRNA. No positive associations were found in the AON. Overall, neuroendocrine receptors were implicated in convergence of a monogamous pair's defense behavior, highlighting the potential importance of the MeA as part of a circuit underlying convergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice L Malone
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Nathaniel S Rieger
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA; University of Washington-Seattle, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jeremy A Spool
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Integrative Biology, Madison, WI, USA; University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Alexis Payette
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lauren V Riters
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Integrative Biology, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Catherine A Marler
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Psychology, Madison, WI, USA.
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Bruintjes TD, Bleys RLAW. The clinical significance of the human vomeronasal organ. Surg Radiol Anat 2023; 45:457-460. [PMID: 36759365 PMCID: PMC10039832 DOI: 10.1007/s00276-023-03101-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To find out whether the vomeronasal organ (VNO) can be identified in the nose as a mucosal pit in the anterior nasal septum, to elucidate its function in man and to determine whether it is important to preserve the VNO during septal surgery. METHODS Literature review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The VNO is histologically present in almost all humans, but a macroscopically visible septal pit does not necessarily correspond with the actual VNO. The human VNO is probably a vestigial organ with a non-operational sensory function. It is not necessary to take particular care not to damage the VNO during septal surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjasse D Bruintjes
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Gelre Hospital Apeldoorn, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.
| | - Ronald L A W Bleys
- Department of Anatomy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Zhang W, Huang H, Gui A, Mu D, Zhao T, Li H, Watanabe K, Xiao Z, Ye H, Xu Y. Contactin-6-deficient male mice exhibit the abnormal function of the accessory olfactory system and impaired reproductive behavior. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2893. [PMID: 36860170 PMCID: PMC10097056 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Contactin-6 (CNTN6), also known as NB-3, is a neural recognition molecule and a member of the contactin subgroup of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Gene encoding CNTN6 is expressed in many regions of the neural system, including the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) in mice. We aim to determine the effect of CNTN6 deficiency on the function of the accessory olfactory system (AOS). METHODS We examined the effect of CNTN6 deficiency on the reproductive behavior of male mice through behavioral experiments such as urine sniffing and mate preference tests. Staining and electron microscopy were used to observe the gross structure and the circuitry activity of the AOS. RESULTS Cntn6 is highly expressed in the vomeronasal organ (VNO) and the AOB, and sparsely expressed in the medial amygdala (MeA) and the medial preoptic area (MPOA), which receive direct and/or indirect projections from the AOB. Behavioral tests to examine reproductive function in mice, which is mostly controlled by the AOS, revealed that Cntn6-/- adult male mice showed less interest and reduced mating attempts toward estrous female mice in comparison with their Cntn6+/+ littermates. Although Cntn6-/- adult male mice displayed no obvious changes in the gross structure of the VNO or AOB, we observed the increased activation of granule cells in the AOB and the lower activation of neurons in the MeA and the MPOA as compared with Cntn6+/+ adult male mice. Moreover, there were an increased number of synapses between mitral cells and granule cells in the AOB of Cntn6-/- adult male mice as compared with wild-type controls. CONCLUSION These results indicate that CNTN6 deficiency affects the reproductive behavior of male mice, suggesting that CNTN6 participated in normal function of the AOS and its ablation was involved in synapse formation between mitral and granule cells in the AOB, rather than affecting the gross structure of the AOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huiling Huang
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ailing Gui
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Di Mu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Zhao
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongtao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Kazutada Watanabe
- Department of Bioengineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan
| | - Zhicheng Xiao
- The Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China.,Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Haihong Ye
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiliang Xu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Meller S, Al Khatri MSA, Alhammadi HK, Álvarez G, Alvergnat G, Alves LC, Callewaert C, Caraguel CGB, Carancci P, Chaber AL, Charalambous M, Desquilbet L, Ebbers H, Ebbers J, Grandjean D, Guest C, Guyot H, Hielm-Björkman A, Hopkins A, Kreienbrock L, Logan JG, Lorenzo H, Maia RDCC, Mancilla-Tapia JM, Mardones FO, Mutesa L, Nsanzimana S, Otto CM, Salgado-Caxito M, de los Santos F, da Silva JES, Schalke E, Schoneberg C, Soares AF, Twele F, Vidal-Martínez VM, Zapata A, Zimin-Veselkoff N, Volk HA. Expert considerations and consensus for using dogs to detect human SARS-CoV-2-infections. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1015620. [PMID: 36569156 PMCID: PMC9773891 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1015620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Meller
- Department of Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | | | - Hamad Khatir Alhammadi
- International Operations Department, Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Guadalupe Álvarez
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillaume Alvergnat
- International Operations Department, Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Lêucio Câmara Alves
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Chris Callewaert
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Charles G. B. Caraguel
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
| | - Paula Carancci
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Anne-Lise Chaber
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
| | - Marios Charalambous
- Department of Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | - Loïc Desquilbet
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, IMRB, Université Paris Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | | | - Dominique Grandjean
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Claire Guest
- Medical Detection Dogs, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Hugues Guyot
- Clinical Department of Production Animals, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Anna Hielm-Björkman
- Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Amy Hopkins
- Medical Detection Dogs, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Lothar Kreienbrock
- Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | - James G. Logan
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Arctech Innovation, The Cube, Dagenham, United Kingdom
| | - Hector Lorenzo
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Fernando O. Mardones
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal and Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Leon Mutesa
- Center for Human Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- Rwanda National Joint Task Force COVID-19, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | - Cynthia M. Otto
- Penn Vet Working Dog Center, Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Marília Salgado-Caxito
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal and Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | | | - Esther Schalke
- Bundeswehr Medical Service Headquarters, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Clara Schoneberg
- Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | - Anísio Francisco Soares
- Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Friederike Twele
- Department of Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | - Victor Manuel Vidal-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Parasitología y Patología Acuática, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN Unidad Mérida, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Ariel Zapata
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Natalia Zimin-Veselkoff
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal and Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Holger A. Volk
- Department of Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany
- Center for Systems Neuroscience Hannover, Hanover, Germany
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Kashash Y, Smarsh G, Zilkha N, Yovel Y, Kimchi T. Alone, in the dark: The extraordinary neuroethology of the solitary blind mole rat. eLife 2022; 11:78295. [PMID: 35674717 PMCID: PMC9177142 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
On the social scale, the blind mole rat (BMR; Spalax ehrenbergi) is an extreme. It is exceedingly solitary, territorial, and aggressive. BMRs reside underground, in self-excavated tunnels that they rarely leave. They possess specialized sensory systems for social communication and navigation, which allow them to cope with the harsh environmental conditions underground. This review aims to present the blind mole rat as an ideal, novel neuroethological model for studying aggressive and solitary behaviors. We discuss the BMR's unique behavioral phenotype, particularly in the context of 'anti-social' behaviors, and review the available literature regarding its specialized sensory adaptations to the social and physical habitat. To date, the neurobiology of the blind mole rat remains mostly unknown and holds a promising avenue for scientific discovery. Unraveling the neural basis of the BMR's behavior, in comparison to that of social rodents, can shed important light on the underlying mechanisms of psychiatric disorders in humans, in which similar behaviors are displayed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Kashash
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Grace Smarsh
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.,School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noga Zilkha
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yossi Yovel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tali Kimchi
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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Prior NH, Bentz EJ, Ophir AG. Reciprocal processes of sensory perception and social bonding: an integrated social-sensory framework of social behavior. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12781. [PMID: 34905293 PMCID: PMC9744507 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Organisms filter the complexity of natural stimuli through their individual sensory and perceptual systems. Such perceptual filtering is particularly important for social stimuli. A shared "social umwelt" allows individuals to respond appropriately to the expected diversity of cues and signals during social interactions. In this way, the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of sociality and social bonding cannot be disentangled from perceptual mechanisms and sensory processing. While a degree of embeddedness between social and sensory processes is clear, our dominant theoretical frameworks favor treating the social and sensory processes as distinct. An integrated social-sensory framework has the potential to greatly expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying individual variation in social bonding and sociality more broadly. Here we leverage what is known about sensory processing and pair bonding in two common study systems with significant species differences in their umwelt (rodent chemosensation and avian acoustic communication). We primarily highlight that (1) communication is essential for pair bond formation and maintenance, (2) the neural circuits underlying perception, communication and social bonding are integrated, and (3) candidate neuromodulatory mechanisms that regulate pair bonding also impact communication and perception. Finally, we propose approaches and frameworks that more fully integrate sensory processing, communication, and social bonding across levels of analysis: behavioral, neurobiological, and genomic. This perspective raises two key questions: (1) how is social bonding shaped by differences in sensory processing?, and (2) to what extent is sensory processing and the saliency of signals shaped by social interactions and emerging relationships?
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H. Prior
- Department of PsychologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Ehren J. Bentz
- Department of PsychologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
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A Preliminary Investigation of Interspecific Chemosensory Communication of Emotions: Can Humans ( Homo sapiens) Recognise Fear- and Non-Fear Body Odour from Horses ( Equus ferus caballus). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11123499. [PMID: 34944275 PMCID: PMC8697966 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Thus far, little attention has been paid to interspecific odour communication of emotions, and no studies have examined whether humans are able to recognise animal emotions from body odour. Thus, the aim of the present study was to address this question. Body odour samples were collected from 16 two-year-old thoroughbred horses in fear and non-fear situations, respectively. The horse odour samples were then assessed by 73 human odour raters. We found that humans, as a group, were able to correctly assign whether horse odour samples were collected under a fear- or a non-fear condition, respectively. An open question remains, which is whether humans could simply distinguish between little versus much sweat and between high intensity versus low intensity or were able to recognise horses’ fear and non-fear emotions. To conclude, the present results indicate that olfaction might contribute to the human recognition of horse emotions. However, these results should be addressed with caution in light of the study’s limitations and only viewed as exploratory for future studies. Abstract Mammalian body odour conveys cues about an individual’s emotional state that can be recognised by conspecifics. Thus far, little attention has been paid to interspecific odour communication of emotions, and no studies have examined whether humans are able to recognise animal emotions from body odour. Thus, the aim of the present study was to address this question. Body odour samples were collected from 16 two-year-old thoroughbred horses in fear and non-fear situations, respectively. The horse odour samples were then assessed by 73 human odour raters. We found that humans, as a group, were able to correctly assign whether horse odour samples were collected under a fear- or a non-fear condition, respectively. Furthermore, they perceived the body odour of horses collected under the fear condition as more intense, compared with the non-fear condition. An open question remains, which is whether humans could simply distinguish between little versus much sweat and between high intensity versus low intensity or were able to recognise horses’ fear and non-fear emotions. These results appear to fit the notion that the ability to recognise emotions in other species may present an advantage to both the sender and the receiver of emotional cues, particularly in the interaction between humans and domesticated animals. To conclude, the present results indicate that olfaction might contribute to the human recognition of horse emotions. However, these results should be addressed with caution in light of the study’s limitations and only viewed as exploratory for future studies.
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Iwanaga T, Nio-Kobayashi J. Unique blood vasculature and innervation in the cavernous tissue of murine vomeronasal organs. Biomed Res 2021; 41:243-251. [PMID: 33071260 DOI: 10.2220/biomedres.41.243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is an accessory olfactory device related to reproductive behavior. The soft tissue of the tubular organ is composed of sensory/non-sensory epithelia and a highly developed vasculature, which in the latter the dilation and contraction of blood vessels are thought to contribute to pumping in and out luminal fluid or air, like penile erectile tissue. The present histological observation of the murine VNO revealed a more complicated vasculature than previously evaluated ones with large differences along the rostro-caudal axis. An immunohistochemical study for vasoactive substances displayed extremely dense innervation by cholinergic nerves containing nitric oxide synthase and VIP/PHI in the thick smooth muscle layer surrounding venous sinuses at light and electron microscopic levels. Furthermore, the differential distribution of cholinergic nerves and adrenergic nerves may provide a novel insight into the pumping mechanism of VNO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshihiko Iwanaga
- Laboratory of Histology and Cytology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Junko Nio-Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Histology and Cytology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine
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17
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Teshera MS, Clark RW. Strike-Induced Chemosensory Searching in Reptiles: A Review. HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 2021. [DOI: 10.1655/0733-1347-35.1.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mark S. Teshera
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
| | - Rulon W. Clark
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
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18
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The Chemosensory Repertoire of the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) Reveals Complementary Genetics of Olfactory and Vomeronasal-Type Receptors. J Mol Evol 2021; 89:313-328. [PMID: 33881604 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-021-10007-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Pitviper sensory perception incorporates diverse stimuli through the integration of trichromatic color vision, bifocal heat-sensing, and dual-system chemoperception. Chemoperception, or olfaction, is mediated by chemoreceptors in the olfactory bulb and the vomeronasal organ, but the true genomic complexity of the gene families and their relative contributions is unknown. A full genomic accounting of pitviper chemoperception directly complements our current understanding of their venoms by generating a more complete polyphenic representation of their predatory arsenal. To characterize the genetic repertoire of pitviper chemoperception, we analyzed a full-genome assembly for Crotalus adamanteus, the eastern diamondback rattlesnake. We identified hundreds of genes encoding both olfactory receptors (ORs; 362 full-length genes) and type-2 vomeronasal receptors (V2Rs; 430 full-length genes). Many chemoreceptor genes are organized into large tandem repeat arrays. Comparative analysis of V2R orthologs across squamates demonstrates how gene array expansion and contraction underlies the evolution of the chemoreceptor repertoire, which likely reflects shifts in life history traits. Chromosomal assignments of chemosensory genes identified sex chromosome specific chemoreceptor genes, providing gene candidates underlying observed sex-specific chemosensory-based behaviors. We detected widespread episodic evolution in the extracellular, ligand-binding domains of both ORs and V2Rs, suggesting the diversification of chemoreceptors is driven by transient periods of positive selection. We provide a robust genetic framework for studying pitviper chemosensory ecology and evolution.
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Katreddi RR, Forni PE. Mechanisms underlying pre- and postnatal development of the vomeronasal organ. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:5069-5082. [PMID: 33871676 PMCID: PMC8254721 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03829-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is sensory organ located in the ventral region of the nasal cavity in rodents. The VNO develops from the olfactory placode during the secondary invagination of olfactory pit. The embryonic vomeronasal structure appears as a neurogenic area where migratory neuronal populations like endocrine gonadotropin-releasing hormone-1 (GnRH-1) neurons form. Even though embryonic vomeronasal structures are conserved across most vertebrate species, many species including humans do not have a functional VNO after birth. The vomeronasal epithelium (VNE) of rodents is composed of two major types of vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs): (1) VSNs distributed in the apical VNE regions that express vomeronasal type-1 receptors (V1Rs) and the G protein subunit Gαi2, and (2) VSNs in the basal territories of the VNE that express vomeronasal type-2 receptors (V2Rs) and the G subunit Gαo. Recent studies identified a third subclass of Gαi2 and Gαo VSNs that express the formyl peptide receptor family. VSNs expressing V1Rs or V2Rs send their axons to distinct regions of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). Together, VNO and AOB form the accessory olfactory system (AOS), an olfactory subsystem that coordinates the social and sexual behaviors of many vertebrate species. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie VNO development. We also discuss open questions for study, which we suggest will further enhance our understanding of VNO morphogenesis at embryonic and postnatal stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghu Ram Katreddi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Neuroscience Research, The RNA Institute, University At Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Paolo E Forni
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Neuroscience Research, The RNA Institute, University At Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA.
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20
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Ye Y, Lu Z, Zhou W. Pheromone effects on the human hypothalamus in relation to sexual orientation and gender. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 182:293-306. [PMID: 34266600 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-819973-2.00021-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Pheromones are chemicals that serve communicational purposes within a species. In most terrestrial mammals, pheromones are detected by either the olfactory epithelium or the vomeronasal organ and processed by various downstream structures including the medial amygdala and the hypothalamus to regulate motivated behaviors and endocrine responses. The search for human pheromones began in the 1970s. Whereas bioactive ligands are yet to be identified, there has been accumulating evidence that human body odors exert a range of pheromone-like effects on the recipients, including triggering innate behavioral responses, modulating endocrine levels, signaling social information, and affecting mood and cognition. In parallel, results from recent brain imaging studies suggest that body odors evoke distinct neural responses from those observed with common nonsocial odors. Two endogenous steroids androsta-4,16,- dien-3-one and estra-1,3,5(10),16-tetraen-3-ol are considered by some as candidates for human sex pheromones. The two substances produce sexually dimorphic effects on human perception, mood, and physiological arousal. Moreover, they reportedly elicit different hypothalamic response patterns in manners contingent on the recipients' sex and sexual orientation. Neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the effects of human chemosignals are not yet clear and await future detailed analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhonghua Lu
- Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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21
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Kurian SM, Naressi RG, Manoel D, Barwich AS, Malnic B, Saraiva LR. Odor coding in the mammalian olfactory epithelium. Cell Tissue Res 2021; 383:445-456. [PMID: 33409650 PMCID: PMC7873010 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03327-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Noses are extremely sophisticated chemical detectors allowing animals to use scents to interpret and navigate their environments. Odor detection starts with the activation of odorant receptors (ORs), expressed in mature olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) populating the olfactory mucosa. Different odorants, or different concentrations of the same odorant, activate unique ensembles of ORs. This mechanism of combinatorial receptor coding provided a possible explanation as to why different odorants are perceived as having distinct odors. Aided by new technologies, several recent studies have found that antagonist interactions also play an important role in the formation of the combinatorial receptor code. These findings mark the start of a new era in the study of odorant-receptor interactions and add a new level of complexity to odor coding in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bettina Malnic
- Department of Biochemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Luis R Saraiva
- Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, USA.
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar.
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22
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Lu A, Feder JA, Snyder-Mackler N, Bergman TJ, Beehner JC. Male-Mediated Maturation in Wild Geladas. Curr Biol 2021; 31:214-219.e2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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23
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Levy DR, Sofer Y, Brumfeld V, Zilkha N, Kimchi T. The Nasopalatine Ducts Are Required for Proper Pheromone Signaling in Mice. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:585323. [PMID: 33328853 PMCID: PMC7710809 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.585323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) specializes in detection of chemosignals, mainly pheromones, which control social communication and reproduction in many mammals. These pheromones must solubilize with nasal fluids before entering the VNO, and it was suggested that they are delivered to and cleared from the VNO by active pumping. Yet, the details of this pheromone delivery process are unclear. In this study, we first constructed a high-resolution 3D morphological image of the whole adult mouse snout, by using ultra-high-resolution micro-CT. We identified a net of micro tunnels starting from the nostrils and extending around and through the VNO. These micro tunnels connect the nasal cavity with the VNO and the oral cavity via the nasopalatine ducts (NPD). Other micro tunnels connect the nasal cavity to the main olfactory epithelium. We next demonstrated that physical obstruction of the NPD severely impairs the clearance of dissolved compounds from the VNO lumen. Moreover, we found that mice with blocked NPD display alterations in chemosignaling-evoked neuronal activation in brain regions associated with the vomeronasal system. Finally, NPD-blocked male mice exhibit reduced preference for female chemosignals, and impaired social interaction behavior. Taken together, our findings indicate that the NPD in mice are connected to both the nasal and oral cavity, serving an essential role in regulating the flow of soluble chemosignals through the VNO, and are required for proper pheromone-mediated social communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Rubi Levy
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yizhak Sofer
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Vlad Brumfeld
- Department of Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Noga Zilkha
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Kimchi
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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24
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The Role of Urine in Semiochemical Communication between Females and Males of Domestic Dog ( Canis familiaris) during Estrus. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10112112. [PMID: 33203031 PMCID: PMC7696428 DOI: 10.3390/ani10112112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Canine reproductive behavior can be easily observed; however, the mechanism of semiochemical signaling in this species is still not well understood. Despite numerous studies, no efficient, artificial canine sex pheromones are available. In most studies of canine semiochemical communication, female urine was believed to be a source of volatile compounds that attract males. We hypothesized that urine is also a source of compounds that are very important in the process of the mating decision but are not so volatile. These compounds are collected by licking urine or the vulva and are transferred into the vomeronasal organ. Such behavior always precedes the male’s mating decision. In two experiments, we assessed the reactions of male dogs in response to air containing odor molecules from estrous females’ urine, from a live female in estrus, and from food, as well as during direct sniffing of urine samples from females in estrus, in anestrus, from male dogs and from humans. It was concluded that urine odor is not used for long-distance semiochemical communication in dogs but rather for close distance signaling. Abstract This study aimed to assess the mechanisms of semiochemical signal detection in dogs. In the first experiment, five males were exposed to volatile semiochemicals emitted by a live female in estrus and the female’s urine sample collected during estrus. The odor of canine food and clean air were used as controls. In the second experiment, 25 males could directly sniff and lick the urine samples from females in estrus, from females in anestrus, from males and from humans, placed in a lineup. Sniffing, licking and salivation, as well as keeping dogs at different distances from the source of odor, were recorded in both experiments. Experiment 1 showed that food odor was sniffed by males longer than estrous urine. Volatile semiochemicals from females in estrus evoked interest in males but without visual cues did not cause overt symptoms of sexual arousal. In Experiment 2, the estrous urine evoked interest in males and provoked significantly longer sniffing. Licking accompanied by salivation was observed in all instances only during direct contact with estrous urine. The results suggest a complex character of detection of female reproductive status, in which both volatile and nonvolatile compounds emitted by females and present in female urine are involved.
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Rozenkrantz L, Weissgross R, Weiss T, Ravreby I, Frumin I, Shushan S, Gorodisky L, Reshef N, Holzman Y, Pinchover L, Endevelt-Shapira Y, Mishor E, Soroka T, Finkel M, Tagania L, Ravia A, Perl O, Furman-Haran E, Carp H, Sobel N. Unexplained repeated pregnancy loss is associated with altered perceptual and brain responses to men's body-odor. eLife 2020; 9:e55305. [PMID: 32988456 PMCID: PMC7524551 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian olfaction and reproduction are tightly linked, a link less explored in humans. Here, we asked whether human unexplained repeated pregnancy loss (uRPL) is associated with altered olfaction, and particularly altered olfactory responses to body-odor. We found that whereas most women with uRPL could identify the body-odor of their spouse, most control women could not. Moreover, women with uRPL rated the perceptual attributes of men's body-odor differently from controls. These pronounced differences were accompanied by an only modest albeit significant advantage in ordinary, non-body-odor-related olfaction in uRPL. Next, using structural and functional brain imaging, we found that in comparison to controls, most women with uRPL had smaller olfactory bulbs, yet increased hypothalamic response in association with men's body-odor. These findings combine to suggest altered olfactory perceptual and brain responses in women experiencing uRPL, particularly in relation to men's body-odor. Whether this link has any causal aspects to it remains to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liron Rozenkrantz
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Reut Weissgross
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Weiss
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Inbal Ravreby
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Idan Frumin
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Sagit Shushan
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
- Department of Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel
| | - Lior Gorodisky
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Netta Reshef
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yael Holzman
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Liron Pinchover
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yaara Endevelt-Shapira
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eva Mishor
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Timna Soroka
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Maya Finkel
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Liav Tagania
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Aharon Ravia
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ofer Perl
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Edna Furman-Haran
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
- Life Sciences Core Facilities, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Howard Carp
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Noam Sobel
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
- The Azrieli National Institute for Human Brain Imaging and Research, Rehovot, Israel
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Sookias RB, Dilkes D, Sobral G, Smith RMH, Wolvaardt FP, Arcucci AB, Bhullar BAS, Werneburg I. The craniomandibular anatomy of the early archosauriform Euparkeria capensis and the dawn of the archosaur skull. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200116. [PMID: 32874620 PMCID: PMC7428278 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Archosauria (birds, crocodilians and their extinct relatives) form a major part of terrestrial ecosystems today, with over 10 000 living species, and came to dominate the land for most of the Mesozoic (over 150 Myr) after radiating following the Permian-Triassic extinction. The archosaur skull has been essential to this diversification, itself diversified into myriad forms. The archosauriform Euparkeria capensis from the Middle Triassic (Anisian) of South Africa has been of great interest since its initial description in 1913, because its anatomy shed light on the origins and early evolution of crown Archosauria and potentially approached that of the archosaur common ancestor. Euparkeria has been widely used as an outgroup in phylogenetic analyses and when investigating patterns of trait evolution among archosaurs. Although described monographically in 1965, subsequent years have seen great advances in the understanding of early archosaurs and in imaging techniques. Here, the cranium and mandible of Euparkeria are fully redescribed and documented using all fossil material and computed tomographic data. Details previously unclear are fully described, including vomerine dentition, the epiptergoid, number of premaxillary teeth and palatal arrangement. A new diagnosis and cranial and braincase reconstruction is provided, and an anatomical network analysis is performed on the skull of Euparkeria and compared with other amniotes. The modular composition of the cranium suggests a flexible skull well adapted to feeding on agile food, but with a clear tendency towards more carnivorous behaviour, placing the taxon at the interface between ancestral diapsid and crown archosaur ecomorphology, corresponding to increases in brain size, visual sensitivity, upright locomotion and metabolism around this point in archosauriform evolution. The skull of Euparkeria epitomizes a major evolutionary transition, and places crown archosaur morphology in an evolutionary context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland B. Sookias
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK
| | - David Dilkes
- Department of Biology, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI 54901, USA
| | - Gabriela Sobral
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Rosenstein 1, 70191 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Roger M. H. Smith
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Iziko South African Museum, PO Box 61, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Frederik P. Wolvaardt
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Braamfontein 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Andrea B. Arcucci
- IMIBIO CONICET Universidad Nacional de San Luis, Av Ejercito de los Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, Argentina
| | - Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 210 Whitney Ave., Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Ingmar Werneburg
- Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (HEP) at Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Sigwartstraße 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Fachbereich Geowissenschaften der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Hölderlinstraße 12, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
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The Role of Olfactory Genes in the Expression of Rodent Paternal Care Behavior. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11030292. [PMID: 32164379 PMCID: PMC7140856 DOI: 10.3390/genes11030292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfaction is the dominant sensory modality in rodents, and is crucial for regulating social behaviors, including parental care. Paternal care is rare in rodents, but can have significant consequences for offspring fitness, suggesting a need to understand the factors that regulate its expression. Pup-related odor cues are critical for the onset and maintenance of paternal care. Here, I consider the role of olfaction in the expression of paternal care in rodents. The medial preoptic area shares neural projections with the olfactory and accessory olfactory bulbs, which are responsible for the interpretation of olfactory cues detected by the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems. The olfactory, trace amine, membrane-spanning 4-pass A, vomeronasal 1, vomeronasal 2 and formyl peptide receptors are all involved in olfactory detection. I highlight the roles that 10 olfactory genes play in the expression of direct paternal care behaviors, acknowledging that this list is not exhaustive. Many of these genes modulate parental aggression towards intruders, and facilitate the recognition and discrimination of pups in general. Much of our understanding comes from studies on non-naturally paternal laboratory rodents. Future studies should explore what role these genes play in the regulation and expression of paternal care in naturally biparental species.
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Ahmed Y, Talha N, Ibrahim D, Awad M. Histogenesis of the Vomeronasal Organ in New Zealand White Rabbits. ASIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2019; 13:23-32. [DOI: 10.3923/ajbs.2020.23.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
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Gebhart VM, Rodewald A, Wollbaum E, Hertel K, Bitter T, Jirikowski GF. Evidence for accessory chemosensory cells in the adult human nasal cavity. J Chem Neuroanat 2019; 104:101732. [PMID: 31874203 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2019.101732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The existence of functionally relevant accessory olfactory organs in humans is still a matter of controversy. A vomeronasal organ (VNO) with sensory and non-sensory epithelia exists only in macrosmatic mammals. A similar structure is regularly observed in humans during fetal development. The postnatal persistence of a VNO like epithelial duct has been described in about 10 %. Here we studied tissue samples of nasal mucosa from adults. In all individuals we found epithelial cells in the lower part of the nasal septum which exhibited morphological features of sensory neurons and which showed immunostaining for olfactory marker protein OMP. These cells were interposed by ciliated cells, goblet cells and small intraepithelial capillaries. Only occasionally we found such cells within a morphologically defined epithelial duct. A clear separation of sensory and non-sensory epithelia could not be observed. In most cases we found OMP positive groups of cells either in epithelial cavities or just embedded in respiratory epithelium. With RT-PCR we could confirm the presence of OMP encoding mRNA thus supporting the idea of intrinsic expression of this protein in the nasal mucosa. We conclude that accessory chemosensory structures are regularly conserved in adult humans in the approximate anatomical location of the VNO of microsmatic animals. Their functional importance is yet to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Rodewald
- Institute of Anatomy II, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Enrico Wollbaum
- Institute of Anatomy I, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
| | - Kay Hertel
- Institute of Pathology, HELIOS Klinikum, Erfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Bitter
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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Liu Q, Zhang Y, Wang P, Guo X, Wu Y, Zhang JX, Huang L. Two Preputial Gland-Secreted Pheromones Evoke Sexually Dimorphic Neural Pathways in the Mouse Vomeronasal System. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:455. [PMID: 31632243 PMCID: PMC6783556 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Hexadecanol (16OH) and hexadecyl acetate (16Ac) are two pheromones secreted in a large quantity by mouse preputial glands and act on male and female mice differentially. Yet the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, we examined the activation of vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs) by these two pheromones and mapped the downstream neural circuits that process and relay their chemosignals. Using the calcium imaging method and immunohistochemistry, we found that a small number of VSNs were activated by 16OH, 16AC, or both in the male and female mice, most of which were located apically in the vomeronasal epithelium, and their numbers did not increase when the concentrations of 16OH and 16Ac were raised by 10,000-fold except that of female VSNs in response to 16OH. In the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), the two pheromones evoked more c-Fos+ neurons in the anterior AOB (aAOB) than in the posterior AOB (pAOB); and the increases in the number of c-Fos+ neurons in both aAOB and pAOB were dose-dependent; and between sexes, the female AOB responded more strongly to 16OH than to 16Ac whereas the male AOB had the opposite response pattern. This sexual dimorphism was largely retained in the downstream brain regions, including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), the medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA), the posteromedial cortical amygdaloid nucleus (PMCo), the medial preoptic area (MPA), and the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VmH). Taken together, out data indicate that there is one V1r receptor each for 16OH, 16Ac, or both, and that activation of these receptors evokes sexually dimorphic neural circuits, directing different behavioral outputs and possibly modulating other pheromone-induced responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yaohua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yijun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Xu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liquan Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Lundeen IK, Kirk EC. Internal nasal morphology of the Eocene primate Rooneyia viejaensis and extant Euarchonta: Using μCT scan data to understand and infer patterns of nasal fossa evolution in primates. J Hum Evol 2019; 132:137-173. [PMID: 31203844 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Primates have historically been viewed as having a diminished sense of smell compared to other mammals. In haplorhines, olfactory reduction has been inferred partly based on the complexity of the bony turbinals within the nasal cavity. Some turbinals are covered in olfactory epithelium, which contains olfactory receptor neurons that detect odorants. Accordingly, turbinal number and complexity has been used as a rough anatomical proxy for the relative importance of olfactory cues for an animal's behavioral ecology. Unfortunately, turbinals are delicate and rarely preserved in fossil specimens, limiting opportunities to make direct observations of the olfactory periphery in extinct primates. Here we describe the turbinal morphology of Rooneyia viejaensis, a late middle Eocene primate of uncertain phylogenetic affinities from the Tornillo Basin of West Texas. This species is currently the oldest fossil primate for which turbinals are preserved with minimal damage or distortion. Microcomputed tomography (μCT) reveals that Rooneyia possessed 1 nasoturbinal, 4 bullar ethmoturbinals, 1 frontoturbinal, 1 interturbinal, and an olfactory recess. This pattern is broadly similar to the condition seen in some extant strepsirrhine primates but differs substantially from the condition seen in extant haplorhines. Crown haplorhines possess only two ethmoturbinals and lack frontoturbinals, interturbinals, and an olfactory recess. Additionally, crown anthropoids have ethmoturbinals that are non-bullar. These observations reinforce the conclusion that Rooneyia is not a stem tarsiiform or stem anthropoid. However, estimated olfactory turbinal surface area in Rooneyia is greater than that of similar-sized haplorhines but smaller than that of similar-sized lemuriforms and lorisiforms. This finding suggests that although Rooneyia was broadly plesiomorphic in retaining a large complement of olfactory turbinals as in living strepsirrhines, Rooneyia may have evolved somewhat diminished olfactory abilities as in living haplorhines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid K Lundeen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, SAC 4.102, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - E Christopher Kirk
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, SAC 4.102, 2201 Speedway Stop C3200, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Jackson School Museum of Earth History, University of Texas at Austin, J. J. Pickle Research Campus, 10100 Burnet Road, PRC 6-VPL, R7600, Austin, TX 78758, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Flint
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Rodewald A, Mills D, Gebhart VM, Jirikowski GF. Steroidal pheromones and their potential target sites in the vomeronasal organ. Steroids 2019; 142:14-20. [PMID: 28962851 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Steroids are important olfactory signals in most mammalian species. The vomeronasal organ has been suspected to be the primary target of pheromones. In rat vomeronasal sensory neurons express steroid binding proteins and nuclear receptors. Some binding globulins were found also in single ciliated cells of the non-sensory vomeronasal epithelium. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed VDR in olfactory microvilli and DPB in apical membrane protrusions of supporting sells within the sensory epithelium. Pilot behavioral studies with dogs showed increased sniffing duration upon exposure to low concentrations of vitamin D while higher concentrations were less effective. It has been shown that vitamin D has pheromone-like properties in lizards. Our histochemical and behavioral observations indicate that the mammalian vomeronasal organ may be a vitamin D target. Olfactory functions of vitamin D involve most likely rapid membrane mediated effects rather than actions through nuclear receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Rodewald
- Institute of Anatomy II, University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
| | - Daniel Mills
- School of Life Science, University of Lincoln, UK
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Marini M, Manetti M, Sgambati E. Immunolocalization of VEGF/VEGFR system in human fetal vomeronasal organ during early development. Acta Histochem 2019; 121:94-100. [PMID: 30442382 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The vomeronasal system (VNS) is an accessory olfactory structure present in most mammals adhibited to the detection of specific chemosignals implied in social and reproductive behavior. The VNS comprises the vomeronasal organ (VNO), vomeronasal nerve and accessory olfactory bulb. VNO is characterized by a neuroepithelium constituted by bipolar neurons and supporting and stem/progenitor cells. In humans, VNO is present during fetal life and is supposed to possess chemoreceptor activity and participate in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuronal precursor migration toward the hypothalamus. Instead, the existence and functions of VNO in postnatal life is debated. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (VEGFRs) have been demonstrated to play fundamental roles in various neurogenic events. However, there are no data regarding the localization and possible function of VEGF/VEGFRs in human fetal VNO. Therefore, this study was conceived to investigate the expression of VEGF/VEGFRs in human VNO in an early developmental period (9-12 weeks of gestation), when this organ appears well structured. Coronal sections of maxillofacial specimens were subjected to peroxidase-based immunohistochemistry for VEGF, VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2. Double immunofluorescence for VEGF, VEGFR-1 or VEGFR-2 and the neuronal marker protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) was also performed. VEGF expression was evident in the entire VNO epithelium, with particularly strong reactivity in the middle layer. Strongly VEGF-immunostained cells with aspect similar to bipolar neurons and/or their presumable precursors were detected in the middle and basal layers. Cells detaching from the basal epithelial layer and detached cell groups in the surrounding lamina propria showed moderate/strong VEGF expression. The strongest VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 expression was detected in the apical epithelial layer. Cells with aspect similar to bipolar neurons and/or their presumable precursors located in the middle and basal layers and the detaching/detached cells displayed a VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 reactivity similar to that of VEGF. The basal epithelial layer exhibited stronger staining for VEGFRs than for VEGF. Cells with morphology and VEGF/VEGFR expression similar to those of the detaching/detached cells were also detected in the middle and basal VNO epithelial layers. Double immunofluorescence using anti-PGP 9.5 antibodies demonstrated that most of the VEGF/VEGFR-immunoreactive cells were neuronal cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that during early fetal development the VEGF/VEGFR system might be involved in the presumptive VNO chemoreceptor activity and neuronal precursor migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirca Marini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Mirko Manetti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy
| | - Eleonora Sgambati
- Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, Isernia, Italy.
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Domínguez-Pérez D, Durban J, Agüero-Chapin G, López JT, Molina-Ruiz R, Almeida D, Calvete JJ, Vasconcelos V, Antunes A. The Harderian gland transcriptomes of Caraiba andreae, Cubophis cantherigerus and Tretanorhinus variabilis, three colubroid snakes from Cuba. Genomics 2018; 111:1720-1727. [PMID: 30508561 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2018.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The Harderian gland is a cephalic structure, widely distributed among vertebrates. In snakes, the Harderian gland is anatomically connected to the vomeronasal organ via the nasolacrimal duct, and in some species can be larger than the eyes. The function of the Harderian gland remains elusive, but it has been proposed to play a role in the production of saliva, pheromones, thermoregulatory lipids and growth factors, among others. Here, we have profiled the transcriptomes of the Harderian glands of three non-front-fanged colubroid snakes from Cuba: Caraiba andreae (Cuban Lesser Racer); Cubophis cantherigerus (Cuban Racer); and Tretanorhinus variabilis (Caribbean Water Snake), using Illumina HiSeq2000 100 bp paired-end. In addition to ribosomal and non-characterized proteins, the most abundant transcripts encode putative transport/binding, lipocalin/lipocalin-like, and bactericidal/permeability-increasing-like proteins. Transcripts coding for putative canonical toxins described in venomous snakes were also identified. This transcriptional profile suggests a more complex function than previously recognized for this enigmatic organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dany Domínguez-Pérez
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, Porto 4450-208, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, Porto 4169-007, Portugal.
| | - Jordi Durban
- Evolutionary and Translational Venomics Laboratory, CSIC, Jaume Roig, 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Guillermin Agüero-Chapin
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, Porto 4450-208, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, Porto 4169-007, Portugal.
| | - Javier Torres López
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA; Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, 25 St. 455, La Habana 10400, Cuba.
| | - Reinaldo Molina-Ruiz
- Centro de Bioactivos Químicos, Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas, 54830 Santa Clara, Cuba.
| | - Daniela Almeida
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, Porto 4450-208, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, Porto 4169-007, Portugal.
| | - Juan J Calvete
- Evolutionary and Translational Venomics Laboratory, CSIC, Jaume Roig, 11, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Vítor Vasconcelos
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, Porto 4450-208, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, Porto 4169-007, Portugal.
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, Porto 4450-208, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, Porto 4169-007, Portugal.
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Cameron J, Shelley SL, Williamson TE, Brusatte SL. The Brain and Inner Ear of the Early Paleocene “Condylarth”
Carsioptychus coarctatus
: Implications for Early Placental Mammal Neurosensory Biology and Behavior. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 302:306-324. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joe Cameron
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute Edinburgh Scotland UK
| | - Sarah L. Shelley
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute Edinburgh Scotland UK
| | | | - Stephen L. Brusatte
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute Edinburgh Scotland UK
- New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Albuquerque New Mexico
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37
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Curtis AA, Simmons NB. Prevalence of mineralized elements in the rostra of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera). J Mammal 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyy134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Abigail A Curtis
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
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38
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Harmeier A, Meyer CA, Staempfli A, Casagrande F, Petrinovic MM, Zhang YP, Künnecke B, Iglesias A, Höner OP, Hoener MC. How Female Mice Attract Males: A Urinary Volatile Amine Activates a Trace Amine-Associated Receptor That Induces Male Sexual Interest. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:924. [PMID: 30158871 PMCID: PMC6104183 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals of many species rely on odors to communicate, find breeding partners, locate resources and sense dangers. In vertebrates, odorants are detected by chemosensory receptors of the olfactory system. One class of these receptors, the trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), was recently suggested to mediate male sexual interest and mate choice. Here we tested this hypothesis in mice by generating a cluster deletion mouse (Taar2-9−/−) lacking all TAARs expressed in the olfactory epithelium, and evaluating transduction pathways from odorants to TAARs, neural activity and behaviors reflecting sexual interest. We found that a urinary volatile amine, isobutylamine (IBA), was a potent ligand for TAAR3 (but not TAAR1, 4, 5, and 6). When males were exposed to IBA, brain regions associated with sexual behaviors were less active in Taar2-9−/− than in wild type males. Accordingly, Taar2-9−/− males spent less time sniffing both the urine of females and pure IBA than wild type males. This is the first demonstration of a comprehensive transduction pathway linking odorants to TAARs and male sexual interest. Interestingly, the concentration of IBA in female urine varied across the estrus cycle with a peak during estrus. This variation in IBA concentration may represent a simple olfactory cue for males to recognize receptive females. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that IBA and TAARs play an important role in the recognition of breeding partners and mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Harmeier
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claas A Meyer
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Staempfli
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Casagrande
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marija M Petrinovic
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yan-Ping Zhang
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Basil Künnecke
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antonio Iglesias
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Oliver P Höner
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marius C Hoener
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Neurosymptomatic Domains, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
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Santi D, Spaggiari G, Gilioli L, Potì F, Simoni M, Casarini L. Molecular basis of androgen action on human sexual desire. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 467:31-41. [PMID: 28893567 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Reproduction is a fundamental process for the species maintenance and the propagation of genetic information. The energy expenditure for mating is overtaken by motivational stimuli, such as orgasm, finely regulated by steroid hormones, gonadotropins, neurotransmitters and molecules acting in the brain and peripheral organs. These functions are often investigated using animal models and translated to humans, where the androgens action is mediated by nuclear and membrane receptors converging in the regulation of both long-term genomic and rapid non-genomic signals. In both sexes, testosterone is a central player of this game and is involved in the regulation of sexual desire and arousal, and, finally, in reproduction through cognitive and peripheral physiological mechanisms which may decline with aging and circadian disruption. Finally, genetic variations impact on reproductive behaviours, resulting in sex-specific effect and different reproductive strategies. In this review, androgen actions on sexual desire are evaluated, focusing on the molecular levels of interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Santi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Geriatrics, Azienda OU of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Giorgia Spaggiari
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Geriatrics, Azienda OU of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Lisa Gilioli
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Center for Genomic Research, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesco Potì
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Manuela Simoni
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, Metabolism and Geriatrics, Azienda OU of Modena, Modena, Italy; Center for Genomic Research, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
| | - Livio Casarini
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Center for Genomic Research, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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Ibrahim D. Immunolocalization of Receptor and Chemoreceptor Modules in the Sheep Vomeronasal Organ. Cells Tissues Organs 2018; 205:85-92. [PMID: 29672316 DOI: 10.1159/000487758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is the peripheral receptor organ of the accessory olfactory system, which is responsible for both sexual and innate behaviors. The degree of neuronal differentiation and maturation of the vomeronasal receptor cells together with the verification of the presence of the solitary chemoreceptor cells (SCCs) in the VNO of Corriedale sheep were assessed using immunofluorescence. A protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), which is a neuronal marker recognized to be expressed in most neurons of vertebrate species, an olfactory marker protein (OMP) that is precise for mature olfactory receptor cells, and lastly phospholipase C-β2 (PLC-β2), a marker in the signal transduction pathway of SCCs, were all tested. The cell bodies and dendrites of almost all receptor cells in the sensory epithelium were strongly positive for PGP 9.5 and to a lesser extent for OMP. In the nonsensory wall, all cells were negative for both PGP 9.5 and OMP; however, some positive PGP 9.5 immunoreactive fibers were identified. For PLC-β2, only 1 basally situated SCC could be identified in the sensory epithelium. A higher number was demonstrated in the nonsensory wall. Corriedale sheep possess matured, fully differentiated vomeronasal receptor cells in their sensory wall, suggesting an appropriate pheromone perception. Additionally, the VNO in sheep may participate in the usual transduction mechanisms, though it is seemingly not a chemoreceptor organ.
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Abstract
Foraging mode plays a pivotal role in traditional reconstructions of squamate evolution. Transitions between modes are said to spark concerted changes in the morphology, physiology, behaviour, and life history of lizards. With respect to their sensory systems, species that adopt a sit-and-wait strategy are thought to rely on visual cues primarily, while actively hunting species would predominantly use chemical information. The morphology of the tongue and the vomeronasal-organs is believed to mirror this dichotomy. Still, support for this idea of concerted evolution of the morphology of the lizard sensory system merely originates from studies comparing only a few, distantly related taxa that differ in many aspects of their biology besides foraging mode. Hence, we compared vomeronasal-lingual morphology among closely related lizard species (Lacertidae). Our findings show considerable interspecific variation indicating that the chemosensory system of lacertids has undergone substantial change over a short evolutionary time. Although our results imply independent evolution of tongue and vomeronasal-organ form, we find evidence for co-variation between sampler and sensor, hinting towards an 'optimization' for efficient chemoreception. Furthermore, our findings suggest species' degree of investment in chemical signalling, and not foraging behaviour, as a leading factor driving the diversity in vomeronasal-lingual morphology among lacertid species.
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Mutic S, Brünner YF, Rodriguez-Raecke R, Wiesmann M, Freiherr J. Chemosensory danger detection in the human brain: Body odor communicating aggression modulates limbic system activation. Neuropsychologia 2017; 99:187-198. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Yohe LR, Abubakar R, Giordano C, Dumont E, Sears KE, Rossiter SJ, Dávalos LM. Trpc2 pseudogenization dynamics in bats reveal ancestral vomeronasal signaling, then pervasive loss. Evolution 2017; 71:923-935. [PMID: 28128447 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Comparative methods are often used to infer loss or gain of complex phenotypes, but few studies take advantage of genes tightly linked with complex traits to test for shifts in the strength of selection. In mammals, vomerolfaction detects chemical cues mediating many social and reproductive behaviors and is highly conserved, but all bats exhibit degraded vomeronasal structures with the exception of two families (Phyllostomidae and Miniopteridae). These families either regained vomerolfaction after ancestral loss, or there were many independent losses after diversification from an ancestor with functional vomerolfaction. In this study, we use the Transient receptor potential cation channel 2 (Trpc2) as a molecular marker for testing the evolutionary mechanisms of loss and gain of the mammalian vomeronasal system. We sequenced Trpc2 exon 2 in over 100 bat species across 17 of 20 chiropteran families. Most families showed independent pseudogenizing mutations in Trpc2, but the reading frame was highly conserved in phyllostomids and miniopterids. Phylogeny-based simulations suggest loss of function occurred after bat families diverged, and purifying selection in two families has persisted since bats shared a common ancestor. As most bats still display pheromone-mediated behavior, they might detect pheromones through the main olfactory system without using the Trpc2 signaling mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel R Yohe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 11794
| | - Ramatu Abubakar
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 11794
| | - Christina Giordano
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 11794
| | - Elizabeth Dumont
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003
| | - Karen E Sears
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 61801.,School of Integrative Biology, Institute for Genome Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, 61801
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Liliana M Dávalos
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 11794.,Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, 11794
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Springer MS, Gatesy J. Inactivation of the olfactory marker protein (OMP) gene in river dolphins and other odontocete cetaceans. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2017; 109:375-387. [PMID: 28193458 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Revised: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Various toothed whales (Odontoceti) are unique among mammals in lacking olfactory bulbs as adults and are thought to be anosmic (lacking the olfactory sense). At the molecular level, toothed whales have high percentages of pseudogenic olfactory receptor genes, but species that have been investigated to date retain an intact copy of the olfactory marker protein gene (OMP), which is highly expressed in olfactory receptor neurons and may regulate the temporal resolution of olfactory responses. One hypothesis for the retention of intact OMP in diverse odontocete lineages is that this gene is pleiotropic with additional functions that are unrelated to olfaction. Recent expression studies provide some support for this hypothesis. Here, we report OMP sequences for representatives of all extant cetacean families and provide the first molecular evidence for inactivation of this gene in vertebrates. Specifically, OMP exhibits independent inactivating mutations in six different odontocete lineages: four river dolphin genera (Platanista, Lipotes, Pontoporia, Inia), sperm whale (Physeter), and harbor porpoise (Phocoena). These results suggest that the only essential role of OMP that is maintained by natural selection is in olfaction, although a non-olfactory role for OMP cannot be ruled out for lineages that retain an intact copy of this gene. Available genome sequences from cetaceans and close outgroups provide evidence of inactivating mutations in two additional genes (CNGA2, CNGA4), which imply further pseudogenization events in the olfactory cascade of odontocetes. Selection analyses demonstrate that evolutionary constraints on all three genes (OMP, CNGA2, CNGA4) have been greatly reduced in Odontoceti, but retain a signature of purifying selection on the stem Cetacea branch and in Mysticeti (baleen whales). This pattern is compatible with the 'echolocation-priority' hypothesis for the evolution of OMP, which posits that negative selection was maintained in the common ancestor of Cetacea and was not relaxed significantly until the evolution of echolocation in Odontoceti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Springer
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - John Gatesy
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA.
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Westberry JM, Meredith M. Characteristic Response to Chemosensory Signals in GABAergic Cells of Medial Amygdala Is Not Driven by Main Olfactory Input. Chem Senses 2017; 42:13-24. [PMID: 27651427 PMCID: PMC5155562 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjw096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemosensory stimuli from same species (conspecific) and different species (heterospecific) elicit categorically different immediate-early gene (IEG) response patterns in medial amygdala in male hamsters and mice. All heterospecific stimuli activate anterior medial amygdala (MeA) but only especially salient heterospecific stimuli, such as those from predators activate posterior medial amygdala (MeP). We previously reported that characteristic patterns of response in separate populations of cells in MeA and MeP distinguish between different conspecific stimuli. Both gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)-immunoreactive (ir) cells and GABA-receptor-ir cells make this distinction. Here, using zinc sulfate lesions of the main olfactory epithelium, we show evidence that main olfactory input does not contribute to the characteristic patterns of response in GABA-ir cells of male hamster amygdala, either for conspecific or heterospecific stimuli. Some GABAergic cells are output neurons carrying information from medial amygdala to behavioral executive regions of basal forebrain. Thus, the differential response to different conspecific signals can lead to differential activation of downstream circuits based on nonolfactory input. Finally, we show that an intact vomeronasal organ is necessary and sufficient to produce the characteristic patterns of response to conspecific and heterospecific chemosensory stimuli in hamster medial amygdala. Although main olfactory input may be critical in species with less prominent vomeronasal input for equivalent medial amygdala responses, work presented here suggests that hamster medial amygdala uses primarily vomeronasal input to discriminate between important unlearned conspecific social signals, to distinguish them from the social signals of other species, and may convey that information to brain circuits eliciting appropriate social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenne M Westberry
- Present address: Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 555105, USA
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Berta A, Lanzetti A, Ekdale EG, Deméré TA. From Teeth to Baleen and Raptorial to Bulk Filter Feeding in Mysticete Cetaceans: The Role of Paleontological, Genetic, and Geochemical Data in Feeding Evolution and Ecology. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:1271-1284. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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47
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Kabes LE, Clark RW. The Use of Chemical Cues by Granite Night Lizards (Xantusia henshawi) to Evaluate Potential Predation Risk. COPEIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1643/ce-15-302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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48
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Caldwell HK, Aulino EA, Freeman AR, Miller TV, Witchey SK. Oxytocin and behavior: Lessons from knockout mice. Dev Neurobiol 2016; 77:190-201. [PMID: 27513442 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that the nonapeptide oxytocin (Oxt) is important for the neural modulation of behaviors in many mammalian species. Since its discovery in 1906 and synthesis in the early 1950s, elegant pharmacological work has helped identify specific neural substrates on which Oxt exerts its effects. More recently, mice with targeted genetic disruptions of the Oxt system-i.e., both the peptide and its receptor (the Oxtr)-have further defined Oxt's actions and laid some important scientific groundwork for studies in other species. In this article, we highlight the scientific contributions that various mouse knockouts of the Oxt system have made to our understanding of Oxt's modulation of behavior. We specifically focus on how the use of these mice has shed light on our understanding of social recognition memory, maternal behavior, aggression, and several nonsocial behaviors. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 190-201, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather K Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 44242.,School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 44242
| | - Elizabeth A Aulino
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 44242
| | - Angela R Freeman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 44242
| | - Travis V Miller
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 44242
| | - Shannah K Witchey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, 44242
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49
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Ackels T, Drose DR, Spehr M. In-depth Physiological Analysis of Defined Cell Populations in Acute Tissue Slices of the Mouse Vomeronasal Organ. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 27684435 DOI: 10.3791/54517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In most mammals, the vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a chemosensory structure that detects both hetero- and conspecific social cues. Vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs) express a specific type of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) from at least three different chemoreceptor gene families allowing sensitive and specific detection of chemosensory cues. These families comprise the V1r and V2r gene families as well as the formyl peptide receptor (FPR)-related sequence (Fpr-rs) family of putative chemoreceptor genes. In order to understand the physiology of vomeronasal receptor-ligand interactions and downstream signaling, it is essential to identify the biophysical properties inherent to each specific class of VSNs. The physiological approach described here allows identification and in-depth analysis of a defined population of sensory neurons using a transgenic mouse line (Fpr-rs3-i-Venus). The use of this protocol, however, is not restricted to this specific line and thus can easily be extended to other genetically modified lines or wild type animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Ackels
- Department of Chemosensation, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University; Mill Hill Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute;
| | - Daniela R Drose
- Department of Chemosensation, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University
| | - Marc Spehr
- Department of Chemosensation, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University
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50
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Westberry JM, Meredith M. GABAergic mechanisms contributing to categorical amygdala responses to chemosensory signals. Neuroscience 2016; 331:186-96. [PMID: 27329335 PMCID: PMC4955787 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Chemosensory stimuli from conspecific and heterospecific animals, elicit categorically different immediate-early gene response-patterns in medial amygdala in male hamsters and mice. We previously showed that conspecific signals activate posterior (MeP) as well as anterior medial amygdala (MeA), and especially relevant heterospecific signals such as chemosensory stimuli from potential predators also activate MeP in mice. Other heterospecific chemosignals activate MeA, but not MeP. Here we show that male hamster amygdala responds significantly differentially to different conspecific signals, by activating different proportions of cells of different phenotype, possibly leading to differential activation of downstream circuits. Heterospecific signals that fail to activate MeP do activate GABA-immunoreactive cells in the adjacent caudal main intercalated nucleus (mICNc) and elicit selective suppression of MeP cells bearing GABA-Receptors, suggesting GABA inhibition in MeP by GABAergic cells in mICNc. Overall, work presented here suggests that medial amygdala may discriminate between important conspecific social signals, distinguish them from the social signals of other species and convey that information to brain circuits eliciting appropriate social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenne M Westberry
- Program in Neuroscience and Department Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4295, USA.
| | - Michael Meredith
- Program in Neuroscience and Department Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4295, USA.
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