The research of pheromonal memory and reception using immediate early gene Arc.

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The olfactory system including the vomeronasal system is thought to be a good model for analysis of nerves regeneration. We usually use a nerve transaction for cutting all nerves of olfactory system. However we cannot cut only vomeronasal nerves selectively using this method. To analyze the vomeronasal system functionally, it is important to distinguish between the olfactory and vomeronasal system. On the moment, a new surgical method to. 1it the vomeronasal nerve selectively and reversibly and leave the olfactory system and its nerve fibers intact. For this study, we used a vannis micro dissecting scissors for cutting the vomeronasal nerves at a point just anterior to the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). We revealed that the number of the OMP positive vomeronasal cell bodies decreased after this surgery, and nerve terminals were completely absent at Day 20-60 without any damages in the olfactory epithelium and the main olfactory bulb (MOB). In addition, we observed the degeneration and regeneration of the vomeronasal axon bundles on the intact MOB after surgery. In a part of experimental animals, the recovery of OMP reactivity was observed after 120 days in both the vomeronasal epithelium and projections within the AOB. Thus, this new method will be a selective complete transaction for vomeronasal system and reversible surgery. It may provide important evidences in vomeronasal regeneration and has the distinct advantage of leaving the olfactory system intact.