Abstract

The vomeronasal system of mammals is chemoarchitecturally heterogeneous. Two populations of receptor cells, located at different depths of the vomeronasal sensory epithelium, project to different portions of the accessory olfactory bulb. We will continue to investigate this heterogeneity by investigating functional differences between the two portions of the vomeronasal system using a variety of techniques. We will determine whether the anterior or posterior accessory bulb is critical for response to pheromones involved in estrous cycling. We will determine which subdivision of the vomeronasal system is activated by odors from same-sex and opposite-sex conspecifics using anatomical, calcium imaging and electrophysiological techniques. We will determine the source(s) of pheromonal odors and conduct preliminary purification of these pheromones. We will investigate whether olfactory marker protein expression can be induced by pheromonal odors. At the completion of these studies we will be able to state whether the two parts of the vomeronasal system are differentially involved in behaviors shown to use vomeronasallymediated stimuli.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01DC002745-05A1
Application #
6324286
Study Section
Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience 8 (IFCN)
Program Officer
Davis, Barry
Project Start
1996-04-01
Project End
2006-03-31
Budget Start
2001-04-01
Budget End
2002-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$275,366
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Suny Downstate Medical Center
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
068552207
City
Brooklyn
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
11203

  Publications

Zhang, Jing-Ji; Huang, Guang-Zhe; Halpern, Mimi (2007) Firing properties of accessory olfactory bulb mitral/tufted cells in response to urine delivered to the vomeronasal organ of gray short-tailed opossums. Chem Senses 32:355-60
Wang, Dalton; Chen, Ping; Quan, Wei et al. (2007) Suprasternal gland secretion of male short-tailed opossum induces IP3 generation in the vomeronasal organ. Biochim Biophys Acta 1770:725-32
Martinez-Marcos, Alino; Halpern, Mimi (2006) Efferent connections of the main olfactory bulb in the opossum (Monodelphis domestica): a characterization of the olfactory entorhinal cortex in a marsupial. Neurosci Lett 395:51-6
Zuri, Ido; Halpern, Mimi (2005) Modification of odor investigation and discrimination in female opossums (Monodelphis domestica) following the ablation of the accessory olfactory bulbs. Behav Neurosci 119:612-21
Martinez-Marcos, A; Jia, C; Quan, W et al. (2005) Neurogenesis, migration, and apoptosis in the vomeronasal epithelium of adult mice. J Neurobiol 63:173-87
Jia, Changping; Halpern, Mimi (2004) Calbindin D28k, parvalbumin, and calretinin immunoreactivity in the main and accessory olfactory bulbs of the gray short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica. J Morphol 259:271-80
Halpern, Mimi; Martinez-Marcos, Alino (2003) Structure and function of the vomeronasal system: an update. Prog Neurobiol 70:245-318
Zuri, Ido; Su, Wei; Halpern, Mimi (2003) Conspecific odor investigation by gray short-tailed opossums (Monodelphis domestica). Physiol Behav 80:225-32
Jia, Changping; Halpern, Mimi (2003) Calbindin D28K immunoreactive neurons in vomeronasal organ and their projections to the accessory olfactory bulb in the rat. Brain Res 977:261-9
Martinez-Marcos, A; Ubeda-Banon, I; Halpern, M (2001) Cell migration to the anterior and posterior divisions of the granule cell layer of the accessory olfactory bulb of adult opossums. Brain Res Dev Brain Res 127:95-8

Showing the most recent 10 out of 20 publications