title: The vomeronasal organ and adjacent glands express components of signaling cascades found in sensory neurons in the main olfactory system.
abstract: The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a sensory organ that influences social and/or reproductive behavior and, in many cases, the survival of an organism. The VNO is believed to mediate responses to pheromones; however, many mechanisms of signal transduction in the VNO remain elusive. Here, we examined the expression of proteins involved in signal transduction that are found in the main olfactory system in the VNO. The localization of many signaling molecules in the VNO is quite different from those in the main olfactory system, suggesting differences in signal transduction mechanisms between these two chemosensory organs. Various signaling molecules are expressed in distinct areas of VNO sensory epithelium. Interestingly, we found the expressions of groups of these signaling molecules in glandular tissues adjacent to VNO, supporting the physiological significance of these glandular tissues. Our finding of high expression of signaling proteins in glandular tissues suggests that neurohumoral factors influence glandular tissues to modulate signaling cascades that in turn alter the responses of the VNO to hormonal status.
authors: Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors: Sang Jin
authors: SJ
authors: Lee
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Mammen
authors: Esther J
authors: EJ
authors: Kim
authors: So Yeun
authors: SY
authors: Kim
authors: Yun Ju
authors: YJ
authors: Park
authors: Mira
authors: M
authors: Park
authors: Hyung Soo
authors: HS
authors: Han
authors: Yong-Chul
authors: YC
authors: Bae
authors: Gabriele V
authors: GV
authors: Ronnett
authors: Cheil
authors: C
authors: Moon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019147:Vomeronasal Organ / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*