Mammalian pheromone sensing

The traditional distinction that the mammalian main olfactory system recognizes general odor molecules and the accessory (vomeronasal) system detects pheromones is no longer valid. The emerging picture is that both systems have considerable overlap in terms of the chemosignals they detect and the effects that they mediate. Recent investigations have discovered large families of pheromonal signals together with a rich variety of specific receptor systems and nasal detection pathways. Selective genetic targeting of these subsystems should help to unravel their biological role in pheromone-mediated behavioral responses.