Is the Mole Rat Vomeronasal Organ Functional?

Dennis, John C.; Stilwell, Natalie K.; Smith, Timothy D.; Park, Thomas J.; Bhatnagar, Kunwar P.; Morrison, Edward E.

doi:10.1002/ar.24060

Cited by 22 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The vomeronasal capsule consists of cartilage in most mammalian species, including carnivores [15][16][17], ungulates [19,[33][34][35], bats [31], primates [20], rabbits [27,29], elephants [21,22], hyraxes [23], armadillos [30], marsupials [24,25], and hedgehogs (revealed in the present study). However, the capsule is bony in some rodents, for example, rats, mice [27], hamsters [36], and caudal third in capybaras [37], although it is partly or mostly cartilaginous in mole rats [38]. Interestingly, the vomeronasal capsule of musk shrews also consists of bone [32], which we also confirmed [13], unlike that of the hedgehog.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

“…The lumen of the VNO is round-to-oval throughout its entire length in the African pygmy hedgehog. It is also oval in common marmosets [41] and some species of mole rats [38], but is typically crescent-shaped in most mammals [3], including musk shrews [32]. The form of the duct within hedgehog VNO is more similar to that of large secretory gland ducts, and it might smooth the flow of serous gland secretions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological and Histological Features of the Vomeronasal Organ in African Pygmy Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

Kondoh

Tanaka

Kawai

et al. 2021

Animals

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The vomeronasal organ (VNO) detects specific chemicals such as pheromones and kairomones. Hedgehogs (Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae) have a well-developed accessory olfactory bulb that receives projections from the VNO, but little is known about the hedgehog VNO. Here, we studied the histological features of the VNO in five individual African pygmy hedgehogs by hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, and Alcian blue stains. The hedgehog VNO comprises a hyaline cartilage capsule, soft tissue and epithelial lumen, and it branches from the site just before the incisive duct opening into the nasal cavity. The soft tissues contain several small mucous (or mucoserous) glands and a large serous gland, and many venous sinuses all around the lumen. The VNO lumen is round to oval throughout the hedgehog VNO, and the sensory epithelium lines almost the entire rostral part and medial wall of the middle part. These findings indicate that the VNO is functional and plays an important role in the hedgehog. Notably, the VNO apparently has a characteristic flushing mechanism with serous secretions like those of gustatory glands, which the hedgehog might frequently use to recognize the external environment.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological and Histological Features of the Vomeronasal Organ in African Pygmy Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

Kondoh

Tanaka

Kawai

et al. 2021

Animals

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“…Not all females in a specific population reproduce every year, and the proportion of females that do not reproduce is highly variable and correlates with population density, likely due to the social suppression of reproduction in large groups (Gentle, 2005). This suppression has recently been observed in other species, such as the naked mole‐rat (Dennis et al ., 2020). The availability of food allows dominant females to subordinate sterile females, who help to raise the litter and assist with group formation (Cavallini and Santini, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The vomeronasal organ of wild canids: the fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a model

et al. 2020

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The vomeronasal system (VNS) has been extensively studied within specific animal families, such as Rodentia. However, the study of the VNS in other families, such as Canidae, has long been neglected. Among canids, the vomeronasal organ (VNO) has only been studied in detail in the dog, and no studies have examined the morphofunctional or immunohistochemical characteristics of the VNS in wild canids, which is surprising, given the well-known importance of chemical senses for the dog and fox and the likelihood that the VNS plays roles in the socio-reproductive physiology and behaviours of these species. In addition, characterising the fox VNS could contribute to a better understanding of the domestication process that occurred in the dog, as the fox would represent the first wild canid to be studied in depth. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of the fox VNO. Tissue dissection and microdissection techniques were employed, followed by general and specific histological staining techniques, including with immunohistochemical and lectin-histochemical labelling strategies, using antibodies against olfactory marker protein (OMP), growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), calbindin (CB), calretinin (CR), α-tubulin, Gαo, and Gαi2 proteins, to highlight the specific features of the VNO in the fox. This study found significant differences in the VNS between the fox and the dog, particularly concerning the expression of Gαi2 and Gαo proteins, which were associated with the expression of the type 1 vomeronasal receptors (V1R) and type 2 vomeronasal receptors (V2R), respectively, in the vomeronasal epithelium. Both are immunopositive in foxes, as opposed to the dog, which only expresses Gαi2. This finding suggests that the fox possesses a welldeveloped VNO and supports the hypothesis that a profound transformation in the VNS is associated with domestication in the canid family. Furthermore, the unique features identified in the fox VNO confirm the necessity of studying the VNS system in different species to better comprehend specific phylogenetic aspects of the VNS.

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“…Hystricognathi has become a model group for the study of the anatomical diversity of the VNS, as shown by the studies in chinchillas 16 , 17 , guinea pigs 18 , degus 19 , 20 , and mole rats 21 , 22 . Suárez et al 23 paid special attention to the organisation of the first integrative centre of the VNS, the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) in capybaras Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris , particularly to the morphometry of the anteroposterior zonation, which is determined by the expression of the G proteins.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The vomeronasal system of the newborn capybara: a morphological and immunohistochemical study

Torres

Ortiz‐Leal

Villamayor

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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the vomeronasal system (VnS) is responsible for the perception mainly of pheromones and kairomones. primarily studied in laboratory rodents, it plays a crucial role in their socio-sexual behaviour. As a wild rodent, the capybara offers a more objective and representative perspective to understand the significance of the system in the Rodentia, avoiding the risk of extrapolating from laboratory rodent strains, exposed to high levels of artificial selection pressure. We have studied the main morphological and immunohistochemical features of the capybara vomeronasal organ (Vno) and accessory olfactory bulb (AoB). the study was done in newborn individuals to investigate the maturity of the system at this early stage. We used techniques such as histological stains, lectinslabelling and immunohistochemical characterization of a range of proteins, including G proteins (Gαi2, Gαo) and olfactory marking protein. As a result, we conclude that the VNS of the capybara at birth is capable of establishing the same function as that of the adult, and that it presents unique features as the high degree of differentiation of the AOB and the active cellular migration in the vomeronasal epithelium. All together makes the capybara a promising model for the study of chemical communication in the first days of life. The vomeronasal system (VNS) is the sensorial system responsible in most vertebrates for the detection of chemosensory signals linked to innate socio-sexual behaviours 1,2. In mammals, the VNS presents a high morphofunctional 3 and genomic 4 diversity among different species. The vomeronasal organ (VNO) specialises in detecting pheromones for the purpose of reproductive behaviours such as maternal aggression and sexual attraction 5. The VNS is also involved in the recognition of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) associated peptides 6 , kairomones 7 and aversive molecules 8. By performing an in-depth study of the macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics of the vomeronasal system in the newborn capybara, we aimed to achieve two objectives. On the one hand, we aimed to obtain general information regarding the vomeronasal system in a rodent model that is distinct from most studied laboratory rodents. On the other hand, because the capybara is a precocial animal species, we aimed to determine the degree to which the capybara vomeronasal system morphology at birth has adapted to the requirements of a demanding socio-cognitive environment. Most studies of the VNS have been done on laboratory rodent strains, exposed to artificial selection pressure that do not reflect the selection pressure present in the wild. Therefore, these laboratory strains present significant genetic and behavioural differences compared with wild rodent models 9. The laboratory mouse (Mus musculus) and rat (Rattus norvegicus) may not be representative of all animals that make up this family. A remarkable differential feature among rodents is the altricial character of mice and rats, compared with the precocial character presented by hys...

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Is the Mole Rat Vomeronasal Organ Functional?

Cited by 22 publications

References 40 publications

Morphological and Histological Features of the Vomeronasal Organ in African Pygmy Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

Morphological and Histological Features of the Vomeronasal Organ in African Pygmy Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

The vomeronasal organ of wild canids: the fox (Vulpes vulpes) as a model

The vomeronasal system of the newborn capybara: a morphological and immunohistochemical study

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