Diverse Systems for Pheromone Perception: Multiple Receptor Families in Two Olfactory Systems

Traditionally, the olfactory epithelium is considered to recognize conventional odors, while the vomeronasal organ detects pheromones. However, recent advances suggest that vertebrate pheromones can also be detected by the olfactory epithelium. In the vomeronasal organ and the olfactory epithelium, structurally distinct multiple receptor families are expressed. In rodents, two of these receptor families, V1R and V2R, are expressed specifically in the vomeronasal organ and detect pheromones and pheromone candidates. A newly isolated trace amine-associated receptor detects some of the putative pheromones in the mouse olfactory epithelium. In addition, distinct second-messenger pathways and neural circuits are used for pheromone perception mediated by each receptor family. Furthermore, the function of these receptor families in these olfactory organs appears to differ among various vertebrate species. The systems for pheromone perception in vertebrates are far more complex than previously predicted.