Revisiting the Vomeronasal System From an Integrated Perspective

Salazar, Ignacio; Barrios, Arthur W.; Sánchez‐Quinteiro, Pablo

doi:10.1002/ar.23470

Cited by 22 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…It has been suggested that it may have disappeared in many mammals and could be suffering a phylogenetic regression in others. It has not been identified either in cats, pigs, sheeps or dogs (Barrios et al, ; Salazar et al, ).…”

Section: The Olfactory Nerve Contains Axons From Different “Olfactorymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been proposed that the Grüneberg's ganglion can be involved in innate and/or social inter‐individual interactions, but the specific roles that it can play still remain elusive. From a comparative perspective, the Grüneberg's ganglion has only been identified in adult mice and rats (Gruneberg, ), but not in domestic mammals (Salazar et al, ). In fact, it has been suggested that Grüneberg's ganglion can be a structure in regression during development (Gruneberg, ; Salazar et al, ).…”

Section: The Olfactory Nerve Contains Axons From Different “Olfactorymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cranial Pair I: The Olfactory Nerve

Crespo

Liberia

Blasco-Ibáñez

et al. 2018

The Anatomical Record

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The olfactory nerve constitutes the first cranial pair. Compared with other cranial nerves, it depicts some atypical features. First, the olfactory nerve does not form a unique bundle. The olfactory axons join other axons and form several small bundles or fascicles: the fila olfactoria. These fascicles leave the nasal cavity, pass through the lamina cribrosa of the ethmoid bone and enter the brain. The whole of these fascicles is what is known as the olfactory nerve. Second, the olfactory sensory neurons, whose axons integrate the olfactory nerve, connect the nasal cavity and the brain without any relay. Third, the olfactory nerve is composed by unmyelinated axons. Fourth, the olfactory nerve contains neither Schwann cells nor oligodendrocytes wrapping its axons. But it contains olfactory ensheathing glia, which is a type of glia unique to this nerve. Fifth, the olfactory axons participate in the circuitry of certain spherical structures of neuropil that are unique in the brain: the olfactory glomeruli. Sixth, the axons of the olfactory nerve are continuously replaced and their connections in the central nervous system are remodeled continuously. Therefore, the olfactory nerve is subject to lifelong plasticity. Finally seventh, the olfactory nerve can be a gateway for the direct entrance of viruses, neurotoxins and other xenobiotics to the brain. In the same way, it can be used as a portal of entry to the brain for therapeutic substances, bypassing the blood-brain barrier. In this article, we analyze some features of the anatomy and physiology of the first cranial pair. Anat Rec, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Section: The Olfactory Nerve Contains Axons From Different “Olfactorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Olfactory Nerve Contains Axons From Different “Olfactorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Cranial Pair I: The Olfactory Nerve

Crespo

Liberia

Blasco-Ibáñez

et al. 2018

The Anatomical Record

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“…Thus, each species should be studied independently, so as to avoid extrapolating information from the published data (Salazar et al. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Beyond this general description, each species has its own unique characteristics, not only anatomic but also related to G-protein expression and vomeronasal receptor families. Thus, each species should be studied independently, so as to avoid extrapolating information from the published data (Salazar et al 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological and immunohistochemical study of the rabbit vomeronasal organ

et al. 2018

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The characterization of the rabbit mammary pheromone, which is sensed by the main olfactory system, has made this species a unique model for the study of pheromonal communication in mammals. This discovery has brought attention to the global understanding of chemosensory communication in this species. Chemocommunication is mediated by two distinct organs located in the nasal cavity, the main olfactory epithelium and the vomeronasal organ (VNO). However, there is a lack of knowledge about the vomeronasal system in rabbits. To understand the role of this system, an exhaustive anatomical and histological study of the rabbit VNO was performed. The rabbit VNO was studied macroscopically by light microscopy, and by histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. We employed specific histological staining techniques (periodic acid‐Schiff, Alcian blue, Gallego's trichrome), confocal autofluorescence, histochemical labelling with the lectin Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA‐I), and immunohistochemical studies of the expression of the Gαi2 and Gαo proteins and olfactory marker protein. The opening of the vomeronasal duct into the nasal cavity and its indirect communication with the oral cavity through a functional nasopalatine duct was demonstrated by classical dissection and microdissection. In a series of transverse histological sections, special attention was paid to the general distribution of the various soft‐tissue components of this organ (duct, glands, connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves) and to the nature of the capsule of the organ. Among the main morphological features that distinguish the rabbit VNO, the presence of a double envelope, which is bony externally and cartilaginous internally, and highly developed venous sinuses stand out. This observation indicates the crucial role played in this species by the pumping mechanism that introduces chemical signals into the vomeronasal duct. The functional properties of the organ are also confirmed by the presence of a well‐developed neuroepithelium and profuse glandular tissue that is positive for neutral mucopolysaccharides. The role of glycoconjugates was assessed by the identification of the α1‐2 fucose glycan system in the neuroepithelium of the VNO employing UEA‐I lectin. The pattern of labelling, which was concentrated around the commissures of the sensory epithelium and more diffuse in the central segments, is different from that found in most mammals studied. According to the expression of G‐proteins, two pathways have been described in the VNOs of mammals: neuroreceptor cells expressing the Gαi2 protein (associated with vomeronasal receptor type 1); and cells expressing Gαo (associated with vomeronasal receptor type 2). The latter pathway is absent in most mammals studied. The expression of both G‐protein families in the rabbit VNO places Lagomorpha together with rodents and insectivores in a small group of mammals belonging to the two‐path model. These findings support the notion that the rabbit possesses a highly developed VNO, with many spe...

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“…The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is mentioned in the chapter Respiratory system, in the part concerning the histological description of the nasal cavity. The VNO is a specialized organ, which forms an integral supportive part of the olfaction of many animal species for example in brown bear (Tomiyasu et al 2017), horse (Lee et al 2016), giraffe (Kondoh et al 2017), or even in mouse (Aland et al 2016;Salazar et al 2016) and reptiles (Mangiacotti et al 2019). It is believed that the main function of vomeronasal organ is to regulate various behavioral aspects of intraspecies interaction by facilitating the detection of pheromones.…”

Section: Vomeronasal Organmentioning

confidence: 99%

Zoological terms in the human histological nomenclature Terminologia Histologica. What we think, what we know, and what we think we know

et al. 2019

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Terminology in morphological and zoological sciences is enormously important. Proper denomination of individual structures of the animal / human body from the microscopic point of view has an irreplaceable role in unambiguous understanding and communication among scientists regardless of their field of expertise. The year 2008 can be considered a crucial year in the developing of internationally accepted histological terminology, because it was the year when the first internationally renowned human histology nomenclature Terminologia Histologica was published. The current version of the Terminologia Histologica contains also the description of many microscopic organs and structures whose presence in different animal species is widely accepted, however their presence in humans is disputable. Typical examples are the haemal lymph nodes and haemal nodes, mentioned in the chapter Lymphoid organs which are secondary lymphoid organs found in many different mammalian species, but also in some birds. They are capable of performing haematopoietic and immunological functions but in the absence of lymphatic system pathology, no structures resembling haemal nodes / haemal lymph nodes have been detected in humans. Neurohaemal organs are mentioned within the chapter Endocrine system. Neurohaemal organs are known by different names, depending on the animal species studied, e.g. corpora allata or abdominal perisympathetic organs. To this date, these structures have been described in many different invertebrate species, but neurohaemal organs are also found in some lower vertebrates, in which the neurohaemal organ is referred to as "urophysis". According to our opinion, structures called neurohaemal organs in invertebrates are counterparts to circumventricular organs found in vertebrates, but cannot be named as such. Another somewhat controversial term mentioned in human histological nomenclature is the vomeronasal organ mentioned in the chapter Respiratory system. It is a specialized organ, which forms an integral supportive part of the olfaction of many mammalian species and reptiles. It is believed that the main function of vomeronasal organ is to regulate various behavioral aspects of intraspecies interaction by facilitating the detection of pheromones. The function and even existence of the vomeronasal organ in humans is a source of significant dispute among researchers. Some of them stated that vomeronasal organ disappears during fetal development, with except the vomeronasal duct. On the other hand, there are also authors who concluded that the vomeronasal organ is definitely present in adult humans. Similarly disputable question is the presence of multinucleated plasmodia in human body. This opinion article aims to open a wide scientific discussion concerning the importance and aptness of the inclusion of these terms in the human histological nomenclature despite they are probably exclusively zoological.

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Revisiting the Vomeronasal System From an Integrated Perspective

Cited by 22 publications

References 15 publications

Cranial Pair I: The Olfactory Nerve

Cranial Pair I: The Olfactory Nerve

Morphological and immunohistochemical study of the rabbit vomeronasal organ

Zoological terms in the human histological nomenclature Terminologia Histologica. What we think, what we know, and what we think we know

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