title: What is a pheromone? Mammalian pheromones reconsidered.
abstract: Pheromone communication is a two-component system: signaling pheromones and receiving sensory neurons. Currently, pheromones remain enigmatic bioactive compounds, as only a few have been identified, but classical bioassays have suggested that they are nonvolatile, activate vomeronasal sensory neurons, and regulate innate social behaviors and neuroendocrine release. Recent discoveries of potential pheromones reveal that they may be more structurally and functionally diverse than previously defined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA. stowers@scripps.edu
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stowers
authors.forename: Tobias F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Marton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D049049:Pheromones, Human / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones; D049049:Pheromones, Human