关键词: 哺乳动物, 主要嗅觉系统, 犁鼻系统, 信息素, 编码, 受体

Abstract: Mammals have two distinct , well-developed olfactory systems : the main olfactory system (MOS) and the vomeronasal system (VS). The former is specialized for the discrimination of volatile chemical. The latter is used to recognize pheromones. In this review , we unraveled coding patterns of two olfactory systems for information recognition at three levels : olfactory receptor , olfactory bulb and higher brain region beyond the olfactory bulb. The vomeronasal organ use narrow tuning range to recognize pheromones components , differing significantly from coding scheme used by the olfactory epithelium in which odors are recognized through distributed combinations of different receptors. Information is integrated by domains of glomeruli that receive the same receptors inputs in the accessory olfactory bulb differ from specific combinations of glomeruli modules in the main olfactory bulb. Pheromones signals exert their effects on hypothalamic areas through which pheromones elicit specific behavior and neuroendocrine effects in VS; In contrast , the olfactory cortex likely use temporal pattern to encode neuron populations , and perception of odor is related to different region of brain in MOS. In conclusion , the coding of olfactory information is likely to be far simpler in VS than in MOS due to VS fulfilling fewer functions.

Key words: Mammals, Main olfactory system, Vomeronasal system, Pheromones, Coding, Receptor