Faecal bile acids are natural ligands of the mouse accessory olfactory system.
Nat Commun
; 7: 11936, 2016 06 21.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27324439
ABSTRACT
The accessory olfactory system (AOS) guides behaviours that are important for survival and reproduction, but understanding of AOS function is limited by a lack of identified natural ligands. Here we report that mouse faeces are a robust source of AOS chemosignals and identify bile acids as a class of natural AOS ligands. Single-unit electrophysiological recordings from accessory olfactory bulb neurons in ex vivo preparations show that AOS neurons are strongly and selectively activated by peripheral stimulation with mouse faecal extracts. Faecal extracts contain several unconjugated bile acids that cause concentration-dependent neuronal activity in the AOS. Many AOS neurons respond selectively to bile acids that are variably excreted in male and female mouse faeces, and others respond to bile acids absent in mouse faeces. These results identify faeces as a natural source of AOS information, and suggest that bile acids may be mammalian pheromones and kairomones.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Bulbo Olfatório
/
Feromônios
/
Potenciais de Ação
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Ácidos e Sais Biliares
/
Fezes
/
Neurônios
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2016
Tipo de documento:
Article