2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Study on the mechanisms to detect pheromones in Ryukyu tree lizards
| Project/Area Number |
24580418
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Basic veterinary science/Basic zootechnical science
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| Research Institution | Iwate University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
YASUDA Masahiro 宮崎大学, 農学部, 准教授 (10336290)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
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| Keywords | 鋤鼻器 / 肛門腺 / トカゲ / フェロモン |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
In this study, we investigated the possible mechanisms to detect pheromones in Ryukyu tree lizards, Japalura polygonata polygonata. We revealed ultrastructural characteristics of the vomeronasal organ, which is considered to be the organ to detect pheromones. In addition, the expression of glycoconjugates and that of the G-proteins coupling to the olfactory receptors were demonstrated in the vomeronasal organ and in the accessory olfactory bulbs, the latter receive projections from the vomeronasal organ. Furthermore, we found the presence of male-specific cytoplasmic granules and their seasonal changes in the cloacal glands, the presumptive source of pheromones. We also tried to evaluate the activity of testis by using the localization of cytoskeletal proteins as indices, since the pheromone production is supposed to be under the control of testicular functions.
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| Free Research Field |
農学
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