Pheromones Flashcards
What are pheromones?
- chemicals released by animals
- elicit stereotyped behavioral/endocrine response in another animal of same species
_____ detects pheromones
VNO (no cortical representation)
chemicals enter through _________ and project to _______
- nasal/oral cavity
- amygdala
Are pheromones found in humans?
no
How many types of VNO receptors are there?
-2 V1Rs have about 200 members and V2Rs have about 70
What is the transduction pathway for pheromones?
- VNO receptors signal through IC pathway similar to taste, different PLC and different TRP channel used
- TRPC2 expressed only in VNO, where protein is localized to sensory microvilli
- TRPC2 essential for VNO response to pheromones
What knockout eliminates electrical response to pheromones?
TRPC2 knock out-responsible for response of neurons to pheromones
What happens when the VNO is silenced in males? (normal/castrated)
- male mouse (intruder) introduced to established mouse, resident attacks intruder (normal)
- attacks occur less frequently (castrated)
What happens is castrated intruder is swabbed with pheromones from urine?
-he will again be attacked by resident
Do TRPC2 KO mice attack intruders? why/why not?
- no
- consistent with the idea that they cannot sense the pheromones on the intruders
What is a general response of TRP2 KO mice?
deficits in behavioral responses to pheromones
TRPc males display _________
increased sexual behavior towards juveniles
What do TRPC2 KO do?
-mate with intruders
Why do TRPC2 KO try to mate with intruders?
- detection of pheromones by the VNO is necessary to allow male mice to discriminate gender
- in the absence of this information the default is to mate
What do female TRPC2 KO show?
- male typical mating behavior
- seems like the lack of inputs somehow “masculinizes the brain.”
