Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms controlling the differentiation of the vomeronasal system during ontogeny

犁鼻器是脊椎动物的嗅觉器官之一，构成信息素检测系统。在本研究中，我们分析了VNO在个体发育过程中分化和发展的分子机制。通过DNA微阵列分析揭示基因表达的变化，并通过原位杂交和免疫组织化学方法对表达基因的细胞进行定位。我们得到了关于组成一般嗅觉系统的嗅觉上皮和构成信息素检测系统的VNO之间的功能划分的有用发现。

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is one of the olfactory organs in vertebrates and constituting the pheromone detecting system. In this study, we analyzed the molecular mechanisms controlling the differentiation and development of the VNO during ontogeny. We revealed the change of the gene expression by DNA microarray analysis, and the localization of cells expressing the genes by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. We obtained useful findings about the functional division between the olfactory epithelium, constituting the general olfactory system, and the VNO, constituting the pheromone detecting system.