Anatomical evidence for an endocrine activity of the vomeronasal organ in humans

Abstract

The mammalian vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a well-adjusted chemosensory structure that facilitates social and reproductive behavior in mammals. The existence, locality, and function of this organ in human adults remain a matter of discussion. Most authors now agree that a neuroreceptive function of the adult human VNO can be excluded due to the absence of both neural receptive cells associated with the VNO in other mammals despite the enigmatic reports on the effects of pheromones on human behavior. Adult cadavers form European (Caucasoid) descent were used in this article and parasagittal dissection of the heads allowed access to the nasal septa, which were grossly examined for the VNO openings. Tissue samples were collected, embedded in gelatin and serially sectioned through cryomicrotomy. Nissl staining was performed as well as immunohistochemically stained with an antibody against calcium-binding protein. The findings presented here confirm the bilateral presence of the VNO in adult cadavers and demonstrate morphological connections of VNO receptor cells with the underlying capillaries. In addition, possible endocrine activity associated with the epithelium of this chemosensory structure has been demonstrated by the expression of calcium-binding protein in a part of these receptor cells. Clin.

Trpc2 pseudogenization dynamics in bats reveal ancestral vomeronasal signaling, then pervasive loss

“…In mice, for example, some pheromone receptors may also be present in the main olfactory epithelium (Omura and Mombaerts 2014;Kanageswaran et al 2015), possibly explaining why some apparently pheromone-mediated behavior is maintained in species lacking the vomeronasal organ. Finally, the debate on whether humans are capable of detecting pheromones is still far from resolved, as anatomical advances are ongoing Wessels et al 2014;Vasuki et al 2016), and behavioral experiments suggest that we can perceive conspecific chemosensory cues (Radulescu and Mujica-Parodi 2013;Lübke and Pause 2015;Gelstein et al 2011). Finally, the debate on whether humans are capable of detecting pheromones is still far from resolved, as anatomical advances are ongoing Wessels et al 2014;Vasuki et al 2016), and behavioral experiments suggest that we can perceive conspecific chemosensory cues (Radulescu and Mujica-Parodi 2013;Lübke and Pause 2015;Gelstein et al 2011).…”

Synthetic Peptides as Therapeutic Agents: Lessons Learned From Evolutionary Ancient Peptides and Their Transit Across Blood-Brain Barriers

“…The adult human VNO possesses a number of features similar to that of the fetal VNE and that of non-human vertebrates, although it appears to have lost its sensory capacity (5–7, 10). However, in adult humans, there are a number of connections of VNO cells with the underlying capillaries, indicating that the VNO has evolved to take on a more endocrine function (11). Although the role of VNO with respect to peptide uptake in humans is equivocal, the actions of the main olfactory epithelium are less so.…”

Zoological terms in the human histological nomenclature Terminologia Histologica. What we think, what we know, and what we think we know

“…Functional aspects of the human VNO are a subject of debate, because no accessory olfactory bulbs which receive information from the vomeronasal receptor cells are present (D'Aniello et al 2017). Wessels et al (2014) reported that the VNO has an endocrine function (rich capillary bed underlying VNO cells and secretion of calcium-binding protein).…”