A research team from the United States has discovered new sensory organs that mice use to detect pheromones—sex hormones released by potential mates. Notably, humans also possess a similar ability to “smell” these signals.
Many animals respond to sexual chemical signals, or pheromones.
(Photo: worth1000)
Mice, like other mammals, can detect a variety of smells thanks to sensory organs (receptors) associated with special cells located in their noses. When a scent “knocks on the door” of these receptors, a signal is sent to the processing center in the brain, which identifies it as a specific odor.
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| Dr. Linda Buck (Photo: fhcrc.org) |
Mammals possess about 1,000 different smell receptors, allowing them to identify and distinguish a large number of odors.
Now, researchers have found a new family of receptors located in the nasal mucosa of mice. These receptors respond to naturally occurring volatile chemicals known as amines (derivatives of ammonia). They are capable of detecting several chemicals present in mouse urine, including one related to stress and others considered as mating signals.
The genes encoding these receptors have been found not only in mice but also in fish and humans, indicating that humans are similarly affected by the chemicals used in the game of love.
The study was conducted by Dr. Linda Buck and Stephen Liberles from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, USA.
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