Abstract
The vomeronasal system (VNS) is responsible for the perception mainly of pheromones and kairomones. Primarily studied in laboratory rodents, it plays a crucial role in their socio-sexual behaviour. As a wild rodent, the capybara offers a more objective and representative perspective to understand the significance of the system in the Rodentia, avoiding the risk of extrapolating from laboratory rodent strains, exposed to high levels of artificial selection pressure. We have studied the main morphological and immunohistochemical features of the capybara vomeronasal organ (VNO) and accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). The study was done in newborn individuals to investigate the maturity of the system at this early stage. We used techniques such as histological stains, lectins-labelling and immunohistochemical characterization of a range of proteins, including G proteins (Gαi2, Gαo) and olfactory marking protein. As a result, we conclude that the VNS of the capybara at birth is capable of establishing the same function as that of the adult, and that it presents unique features as the high degree of differentiation of the AOB and the active cellular migration in the vomeronasal epithelium. All together makes the capybara a promising model for the study of chemical communication in the first days of life.
Highlights
The vomeronasal system (VNS) is responsible for the perception mainly of pheromones and kairomones
We focused the extraction of the samples on the following anatomical structures: the nasal cavity (NC), vomeronasal organ (VNO), vomeronasal nerves, and olfactory bulbs (OBs)
We identified the organ located in the central levels where the cavity is T-shaped and dorsally occupied by the turbinates (Fig. 1A)
Summary
The vomeronasal system (VNS) is responsible for the perception mainly of pheromones and kairomones. We have studied the main morphological and immunohistochemical features of the capybara vomeronasal organ (VNO) and accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). Because the capybara is a precocial animal species, we aimed to determine the degree to which the capybara vomeronasal system morphology at birth has adapted to the requirements of a demanding socio-cognitive environment. Most studies of the VNS have been done on laboratory rodent strains, exposed to artificial selection pressure that do not reflect the selection pressure present in the wild. These laboratory strains present significant genetic and behavioural differences compared with wild rodent models[9]. Precocial species are born with more developed senses, require limited parental care, and can feed usc.es
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