Individual odortypes

Voznessenskaya, V.V., Parfyonova, V.M. Zinkevich, E.P. 1992. Individual odortypes. In Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 6 (Ed. by R.L. Doty D. Muller-Schwarze), pp 503—508. New York Plenum Press. Voznessenskaya, V.V, Parfyonova, V.M. Wysocki, C.J. 1995. Induced olfactory sensitivity in rodents a general phenomenon. Adv. Biosci., 93, 399-406. 

When we observed that odortypes were evident in mice as early as 1 day post par-turn, we wondered whether they might exist prenatally. We now know that the odortype of a pregnant female (mouse or human) is a combination of fetal and maternal odortypes (Beauchamp et al. 1994, 1995). This discovery could provide a basis for the mother, or other individuals, to determine paternity of the litter prior to its birth. Such information may prime females to be responsive to their offspring shortly after birth. Also behavioral responses of other mice to pregnant females may be influenced by this information. 

Heth, G., Beauchamp, G. K., Nevo, E., Spalax ehrenbergi) detected by laboratory rats. Chemoecology, 7 107—111. 

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