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The language of chemical signals: How does the VNO help animals find mates or detect predators?
In nature, communication between animals does not rely solely on sound or visual signals, but often also uses chemical signals. Among them, the auxiliary organ of olfaction, the Volute organ (VNO), plays a vital role. This organ plays an important role in many reptiles and mammals. The VNO is able to recognize liquid organic compounds in its surroundings and is essential for hunting, mating and protecting itself.
Activation of the VNO can elicit behavioral responses to prey, predators, or potential mates.
Structure and function of VNO
The volar organs are a pair of auxiliary olfactory organs located in the soft tissue of the nasal septum, independent of but closely related to the primary olfactory system. These organs are able to detect non-volatile organic compounds, which are often signals from potential mates or predators.
Sensory neurons in the VNO have specialized G protein-coupled receptors that allow them to trigger nerve signals by binding to chemicals. When chemicals bind to receptors such as V1R, V2R and FPR, they activate subsequent neural signaling to specific areas in the brain, including the amygdala and hypothalamus, which are related to the animal's physiological and behavioral responses.
In many vertebrates, electrical signals in the brain respond to seasonal changes and the availability of mates, regulating the release of reproductive hormones.
The role of VNO in different animals
In reptiles, the VNO is crucial for hunting. In the case of flower snakes, these snakes use their tongues to collect scents and then pass them to the VNO to detect prey or predators. In addition, some mammals use a special behavior called the "Feynman response" to guide odors into the VNO. This behavior is most evident in cats and some ungulates.
The evolution of VNO and the existence of humans
The VNO originated in tetrapods during evolution, and most snakes and lizards have a functional VNO. Interestingly, while vestigial structures of the VNO may exist in developing humans, this structure is generally considered non-functional in adults. Studies have shown that most adults are skeptical about the function of this organ, which has also raised questions about what the true meaning of "smell" is.
ConclusionIn some cases, some scientists have even questioned whether humans still have a functional VNO and have proposed different research perspectives.
The volar organ is key to animals' ability to sense chemical signals from their surroundings, which play a role in survival, reproduction and social behavior. Although the human VNO no longer seems to perform the same function, understanding the workings of this organ can not only deepen our understanding of animal behavior, but also make us think about the deep connection between humans and the natural world. Have you ever wondered whether there are chemical signals influencing our behavior in our daily lives that we are not aware of?
