Year: 1998
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Olfactory sensory perception is mediated by two functionally and anatomically distinct systems in mammals: the main olfactory system, which responds to tens of thousands of discrete environmental odorants by expressing as many as 1000 receptor genes, and the vomeronasal system, which discriminates between intraspecific chemical signals (pheromones) in order to elicit innate reproductive and social behaviors. The task in gene regulation for the two systems is similar- i.e. to choose one out of many receptor genes for each neuron to express. In a step towards understanding how such regulation may be facilitated at a neuronal level, olfactory receptor genes have been shown to be allelically inactivated (Chess et al., 1994). Here, we wish ask the question of whether VNO genes, like olfactory genes, are also allelically inactivated. Progress has been made towards development of an assay to answer this question. Preliminary data also suggests the possibility that more than one member of closely related gene subfamilies may be expressed per cell.
Author: Tien-Yi Lee
Language: English
Subfield: Sensory Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2216928989