Pheromone Perception in Fish: Mechanisms and Modulation by Internal Status

Abstract

Pheromones are chemical signals that facilitate communication between animals, and most animals use pheromones for reproduction and other forms of social behavior. The identification of key ligands and olfactory receptors used for pheromonal communication provides insight into the sensory processing of these important cues. An individual's responses to pheromones can be plastic, as physiological status modulates behavioral outputs. In this review, we outline the mechanisms for pheromone sensation and highlight physiological mechanisms that modify pheromone-guided behavior. We focus on hormones, which regulate pheromonal communication across vertebrates including fish, amphibians, and rodents. This regulation may occur in peripheral olfactory organs and the brain, but the mechanisms remain unclear. While this review centers on research in fish, we will discuss other systems to provide insight into how hormonal mechanisms function across taxa.

Structural and functional features of the olfactory epithelium in fish

“…Olfaction plays a leading role in the organisation of feeding, reproductive, social, and other complex behaviors in fish (Kasumyan, 2004;Calvo-Ochoa and Byrd-Jacobs, 2019;Korsching, 2020;Bowers et al, 2023;Oka, 2023). Similar to other vertebrates, phylogenetically different fish have a sensory section of the olfactory analyzer that is essentially a pseudostratified neuroepithelium consisted of three types of cells: receptor, supporting, and basal.…”

“…Обоняние выполняет ведущую роль в организации пищевого, репродуктивного, социального и других сложных форм поведения у рыб (Kasumyan, 2004;Calvo-Ochoa and Byrd-Jacobs, 2019;Korsching, 2020;Bowers et al, 2023;Oka, 2023). У филогенетически разных рыб, как и у других позвоночных, сенсорный отдел ольфакторного анализатора представляет собой псевдомногослойный нейроэпителий, состоящий из клеток трех типов: рецепторных, опорных и базальных.…”

In-depth histological, lectin-histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural description of the olfactory rosettes and olfactory bulbs of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)

“…Chemical communication through olfaction is pivotal for sh survival behaviors, in uencing activities such as foraging, predator avoidance, reproduction, and migration, among others (Hara, 1994;Laberge & Hara, 2001;Bowers, 2023). While the signi cance of the olfactory sensory system is well-established in pelagic habitats (Kasumyan, 2004), much lesser information is available on the seabed, where olfaction serves as a major sensory mechanism (Wagner, 2002).…”