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Volatile female odors activate the accessory olfactory system of male mice without physical contact.

Y Muroi1, T Ishii2, S Komori3

  • 1Department of Pathogenetic Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu 501-1193, Japan.

Neuroscience
|June 1, 2006
PubMed
Summary

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Male mice detect female reproductive status through airborne scents, not bedding odors. These specific volatile cues activate the accessory olfactory system, influencing reproductive behavior.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Animal Behavior
  • Olfactory Communication

Background:

  • Male mice show attraction to volatile odors from intact female mice.
  • Previous studies suggested differences in attraction based on female reproductive state.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate male mouse attraction to volatile odors from estrous versus ovariectomized female mice.
  • Determine if these odors are excreted into bedding.
  • Identify the neural pathways involved in detecting these olfactory cues.

Main Methods:

  • Exposure of male mice to volatile odors from estrous and ovariectomized female mice and their soiled bedding.
  • Measurement of c-Fos expression in the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB) as an indicator of neural activation.
  • Habituation-dishabituation tests in sham-operated and vomeronasal organ-removed male mice.

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Main Results:

  • Male attraction was linked to airborne odors, not bedding.
  • Airborne odors from estrous females significantly increased c-Fos expression in the granule cell layer of the AOB.
  • Vomeronasal organ removal abolished the discrimination between estrous and ovariectomized female odors.

Conclusions:

  • Female mice emit specific airborne volatile odors that signal reproductive status.
  • These odors activate the accessory olfactory system in male mice, independent of physical contact.
  • The vomeronasal system is crucial for discriminating female reproductive states via these volatile cues, suggesting their role in reproduction.