title: Chemosensory signals and their receptors in the olfactory neural system.
abstract: Chemical communication is widely used among various organisms to obtain essential information from their environment required for life. Although a large variety of molecules have been shown to act as chemical cues, the molecular and neural basis underlying the behaviors elicited by these molecules has been revealed for only a limited number of molecules. Here, we review the current knowledge regarding the signaling molecules whose flow from receptor to specific behavior has been characterized. Discussing the molecules utilized by mice, insects, and the worm, we focus on how each organism has optimized its reception system to suit its living style. We also highlight how the production of these signaling molecules is regulated, an area in which considerable progress has been recently made.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; ERATO Touhara Chemosensory Signal Project, JST, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ihara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Touhara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002628:Chemoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009832:Olfactory Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D019147:Vomeronasal Organ / Q000502:physiology
keywords: (Z)-5-tetradecen-1-ol; (methylthio)methanethiol; 11-cis-vaccenyl acetate; 2,5-dihydro-2, 4, 5-trimethylthiazole; 2-sec-butyl dihydrothiazole; ACTH; BT; CAII; CO(2); CS(2); DB; ELG; ESP1; FPR; G-protein-coupled receptor; GC-D; GPCR; GR; HEK293; IR; MHC; MOE; MTMT; MUP; N-formylmethionine-leucine-phenylalanine; OBP; OR; OSN; PBAN; PG; SNMP; STFP; TAARs; TGF-β; TMT; V1R; V2R; VNO; Z5-14:OH; adrenocorticotropic hormone; cVA; carbon dioxide; carbon disulfide; carbonic anhydrase II; dehydro-exo-brevicomin; exocrine gland-secreting peptide 1; extraorbital lacrimal gland; fMLF; formyl peptide receptor; guanylyl cyclase D; gustatory receptor; human embryonic kidney 293; ionotropic receptor; main olfactory epithelium; major histocompatibility complex; major urinary protein; odorant; odorant binding protein; odorant receptor; olfactory; olfactory sensory neuron; pheromone; pheromone biosynthesis activating peptide; pheromone gland; receptor; sensory neuron membrane protein; socially transmitted food preference; trace amine-associated receptors; transforming growth factor beta; vomeronasal organ; vomeronasal receptor type 1; vomeronasal receptor type 2