Organization of the chemosensory neuroepithelium of the vomeronasal organ of the Scandinavian moose Alces alces

Vedin, Viktoria; Eriksson, Björn; Berghard, Anna

doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2009.10.012

Cited by 14 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…We found that the VNO of giraffes possesses the vomeronasal cartilage that surrounded the soft tissue throughout the examined length. This morphological feature of the cartilage seems similar to that of goats (Besoluk et al, ), sheep (Salazar et al, ), deer (Park et al, ), and moose (Vedin et al, ). However, whether or not the more posterior part is also completely surrounded by cartilage could not be estimated, because the shape of the cartilage varies depending on the location along the entire length (Salazar et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…The behavior in giraffes is generally considered as a flehmen response in which pheromones are transferred into the VNO. However, a VNO has not been established in giraffes, although the morphological and histological features of the VNO have been determined in other species of the same order such as cattle (Adams, 1986;Salazar, Quinteiro, Alemañ, & Prieto, 2008;Salazar, Quinteiro, & Cifuentes, 1997), goats (Besoluk, Eken, & Boydak, 2001;Takigami, Mori, & Ichikawa, 2000), sheep (Kratzing, 1971;Ibrahim, Nakamuta, Taniguchi, & Taniguchi, 2013;Salazar, Alemañ, Cifuentes, & Troconiz, 2007), deer (Park et al, 2014), moose (Vedin, Eriksson, & Berghard, 2010), camels (Ibrahim et al, 2015;Karimi, Mansoori Ale Hashem, Ardalani, Sadrkhanloo, & Hayatgheibi, 2014), and pigs (Salazar et al, 1997). As the vomeronasal system plays a critical role in the mating of animals that show flehmen behavior (Døving & Trotier, 1998), knowledge about the VNO in giraffes is important to comprehend the reproduction and social communication of giraffes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Histological features of the vomeronasal organ in the giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis

Kondoh

Nakamura

Ono

et al. 2017

Microscopy Res & Technique

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The vomeronasal organ (VNO) that preferentially detects species-specific substances is diverse among animal species, and its morphological properties seem to reflect the ecological features of animals. This histological study of two female reticulated giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) found that the VNO is developed in giraffes. The lateral and medial regions of the vomeronasal lumen were covered with sensory and nonsensory epithelia, respectively. The vomeronasal glands were positive for periodic acid-Schiff and alcian blue (pH 2.5) stains. The VNO comprises several large veins like others in the order Cetartiodactyla, suggesting that these veins function in a pumping mechanism in this order. In addition, numerous thin-walled vessels located immediately beneath the epithelia covering the lumen entirely surrounded the vomeronasal lumen. This sponge-like structure might function as a specific secondary pump in giraffes.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Histological features of the vomeronasal organ in the giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis

Kondoh

Nakamura

Ono

et al. 2017

Microscopy Res & Technique

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“…At the neuroanatomical level, the VNO, the AOB, and the “vomeronasal” amygdala have been identified and are quite well developed in many wild and farm ungulate species (Kratzing, 1971; Salazar et al, 2007; Vedin et al, 2010). Both VNO and AOB complete their morphological development around the last third of the gestation period (Salazar et al, 2003), and a specific lectin for oligomeric N-acetylglucosamine labels the sensory epithelium of the VNO, the vomeronasal nerves, and the nervous and glomerular layers of the AOB before birth, thus suggesting that the vomeronasal system may be able to function at or even before birth (whereas in rodents this is precluded by the AOB not completing its development before birth).…”

Section: A Role For Vomeronasal Olfaction In Ungulates?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Particularly, the use of other behavioral situations than the ones explored so far could lead to a re-evaluation of the role of the vomeronasal olfaction in the control of social behavior in ungulates. For example, it is likely that vomeronasal olfaction could play a more developed role in wild ungulates such as antelopes or moose than in domesticated species (Deutsch and Nefdt, 1992; Vedin et al, 2010). …”

Section: A Role For Vomeronasal Olfaction In Ungulates?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The main but not the accessory olfactory system is involved in the processing of socially relevant chemosignals in ungulates

Keller¹,

Lévy²

2012

Front. Neuroanat.

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Ungulates like sheep and goats have, like many other mammalian species, two complementary olfactory systems. The relative role played by these two systems has long been of interest regarding the sensory control of social behavior. The study of ungulate social behavior could represent a complimentary alternative to rodent studies because they live in a more natural environment and their social behaviors depend heavily on olfaction. In addition, the relative size of the main olfactory bulb (MOB) [in comparison to the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB)] is more developed than in many other lissencephalic species like rodents. In this review, we present data showing a clear involvement of the main olfactory system in two well-characterized social situations under olfactory control in ungulates, namely maternal behavior and offspring recognition at birth and the reactivation of the gonadotropic axis of females exposed to males during the anestrous season. In conclusion, we discuss the apparent discrepancy between the absence of evidence for a role of the vomeronasal system in ungulate social behavior and the existence of a developed accessory olfactory system in these species.

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Immunohistological study of the unexplored vomeronasal organ of an endangered mammal, the dama gazelle (Nanger dama)

Torres

Ortiz‐Leal

Ferreiro³

et al. 2023

Microscopy Res & Technique

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Dama gazelle is a threatened and rarely studied species found primarily in northern Africa. Human pressure has depleted the dama gazelle population from tens of thousands to a few hundred individuals. Since 1970, a founder population consisting of the last 17 surviving individuals in Western Sahara has been maintained in captivity, reproducing naturally. In preparation for the future implementation of assisted reproductive technology, certain aspects of dama gazelle reproductive biology have been established. However, the role played by semiochemical‐mediated communications in the sexual behavior of dama gazelle remains unknown due partially to a lack of a neuroanatomical or morphofunctional characterization of the dama gazelle vomeronasal organ (VNO), which is the sensory organ responsible for pheromone processing. The present study characterized the dama gazelle VNO, which appears fully equipped to perform neurosensory functions, contributing to current understanding of interspecies VNO variability among ruminants. By employing histological, lectin‐histochemical, and immunohistochemical techniques, we conducted a detailed morphofunctional evaluation of the dama gazelle VNO along its entire longitudinal axis. Our findings of significant structural and neurochemical transformation along the entire VNO suggest that future studies of the VNO should take a similar approach. The present study contributes to current understanding of dama gazelle VNO, providing a basis for future studies of semiochemical‐mediated communications and reproductive management in this species.Research Highlights This exhaustive immunohistological study of the vomeronasal organ (VNO) of the dama gazelle provides the first evidence of notable differences in the expression of neuronal markers along the rostrocaudal axis of the VNO. This provides a morphological basis for the implementation of pheromones in captive populations of dama gazelle.

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Organization of the chemosensory neuroepithelium of the vomeronasal organ of the Scandinavian moose Alces alces

Cited by 14 publications

References 42 publications

Histological features of the vomeronasal organ in the giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis

Histological features of the vomeronasal organ in the giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis

The main but not the accessory olfactory system is involved in the processing of socially relevant chemosignals in ungulates

Immunohistological study of the unexplored vomeronasal organ of an endangered mammal, the dama gazelle (Nanger dama)

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