Current Zoology (Dec 2010)

Roles of the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems in the detection of androstenone in inbred strains of mice

  • Vera V. VOZNESSENSKAYA, Maria A.KLYUCHNIKOVA, Charles J. WYSOCKI

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 56, no. 6
pp. 813 – 818

Abstract

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We investigated the role of the main olfactory and accessory olfactory systems (MOS and AOS respectively) in the detection of androstenone. We used the following experimental approaches: behavioral, surgical removal of the vomeronasal organ (VNX) followed by histochemical verification and Fos immunohistochemistry. Using a Y-maze paradigm we estimated sensitivity of NZB/B1NJ and CBA/J mice to androstenone. CBA mice were 2,000-fold more sensitive to androstenone than NZB mice. VNX caused a 4- to16-fold decrease in sensitivity to androstenone in highly-sensitive CBA mice, but did not affect thresholds in NZB mice. Results indicate the involvement of the MOS and AOS in the detection of androstenone. We observed a specific pattern of Fos-positive cells in the main olfactory bulb of CBA mice but not in NZB mice subsequent to exposure of mice to androstenone; the compound activated cells in the accessory olfactory bulb in both strains of mice, indicating the involvement of the vomeronasal organ. Patterns of Fos-positive cells in the vomeronasal organ were recorded subsequent to exposure to androstenone. Fos-positive receptor cells in the vomeronasal organ of CBA and NZB mice were different, in CBA mice Fos-positive cells were noted in both the basal and apical zones, however, in NZB mice activation was observed only in the apical zone [Current Zoology 56 (6): 813–818, 2010].

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