Neurobiology pp 165-173 | Cite as

The Vomeronasal Organ

  • A. Cavaggioni
  • Carla Mucignat-Caretta
  • G. Sartor
  • R. Tirindelli
Chapter
Part of the NATO ASI Series book series (NSSA, volume 289)

Abstract

The vomeronasal (VN) organ of Jacobson is the receptor organ of the accessory olfactory system (AOS). The VN organ consists mainly of an olfactory epithelium (OE) and a vascular pump. The OE is characterised by the presence of primary receptor neurons whose axons form the VN nerve and contact the secondary neurons in the AO bulb (AOB). Hence the neural outflow goes to brain structures controlling the pituitary-gonadal axis and the reproductive behaviour. The adequate stimuli for the VN organ are volatile as well as non-volatile substances. They are driven toward the primary VN neurons through a blind ended canal, the VN canal, by the vascular pump. The VN system is important in chemical communication within the species and the majority of the effects driven by the activity of this system in mammals gather under the umbrella of reproduction. The evidence from molecular biology, biochemistry, histology, physiology and behaviour studies singles out the VN system as a distinct system when compared to the main olfactory system.

Keywords

Olfactory Epithelium Mitral Cell Main Olfactory Bulb Vomeronasal Organ Accessory Olfactory Bulb 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1996

Authors and Affiliations

  • A. Cavaggioni
    • 1
  • Carla Mucignat-Caretta
    • 2
  • G. Sartor
    • 3
  • R. Tirindelli
    • 2
  1. 1.Istituto di Fisiologia UmanaUniversità di PadovaPadovaItaly
  2. 2.Istituto di Fisiologia UmanaItaly
  3. 3.Istituto di Chimica BiologicaUniversità di ParmaParmaItaly

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