Mammalian chemical signals

One may therefore wonder why so little attention has been paid by scientists to the behavioural role, the chemistry and the application of such mammalian chemical signals. 

A complementary approach to such response-guided strategies is to examine as far as possible the entire "chemical image" which one mammal presents to another, paying particular attention to those features which vary with important biological parameters, for these contain information which the species could exploit semiochemically. An emphasis on the patterns of occurrence of compounds associated with a semiochemical substrate would also accord with the view of Beauchamp et al. (1976), that mammalian chemical signals are more likely to be encoded in the patterns of occurrence of compounds rather than in individual biologically active substances. 

Albone E. (1997). Mammalian semiochemistry chemical signaling between mammals. In Handbook of Biosensors and Electronic Noses (Kress-Rodgers E., ed.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp. 503-519. 

Wysocki C.J., Bean N.J. and Beauchamp G. (1986). The mammalian vomeronasal system its role in learning and social behaviors. In Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 4 (Duvall D., et al., eds.). Plenum, New York, pp. 471-485. 

Abstract A relatively small number of mammalian pheromones has been identified, in contrast to a plethora of known insect pheromones, but two remarkable Asian elephant/insect pheromonal linkages have been elucidated, namely, (Z)-7-dodecen-1-yl acetate and frontalin. In addition, behavioral bioassays have demonstrated the presence of a chemical signal in the urine of female African elephants around the time of ovulation. Our search for possible ovulatory pheromones in the headspace over female African elephant urine has revealed for the first time the presence of a number of known insect pheromones. This search has been facilitated by the use of a powerful new analytical technique, automated solid phase dynamic extraction (SPDE)/GC-MS, as well as by novel macros for enhanced and rapid comparison of multiple mass spectral data files from Agilent ChemStation . This chapter will focus on our methodologies and results, as well as on a comparison of SPDE and the more established techniques of solid phase microextraction (SPME) and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE). 

Compared to the large number of chemical signals identified in insects, only a small number of proven mammalian pheromones are known, two of which have been identified in elephants (Albone 1984 Brown and Macdonald 1985 Wyatt 2003 Burger 2005). Female Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) release a... 

Ebling, F.J. (1977) Hormonal control of mammalian skin glands. In Chemical Signals of Vertebrates, 1, 17-33... 

Ebling, F. J. (1977) Hormonal control of mammalian skin glands. In D. Muller-Schwarze, D. and M. M. Mozell (Eds.), Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. Plenum Press, New York Plenum Press, pp. 17-33. 

In conclusion, the reliable, functionally vital and stereotyped nature of the pups response to the chemical signal governing nipple-search behaviour would seem to qualify this as a true mammalian releasing pheromone (Beauchamp, Doty, Moulton and Mugford 1976) and particularly as it appears to be species-specific rabbit pups fail to respond to lactating cats, rats, guinea pigs or even hares with nipple-search behaviour or nipple attachment (Muller 1978 Hudson 1985 own observations). 

ALBONE, E.S. (1984). Mammalian Semiochemistry—the investigation of chemical signals between mammals. John Wiley and Sons Ltd. 

Albone, E. S. 1984). Mammalian Semiochemistry. The Investigation of Chemical Signals between Mammals. Chichester Wiley. 

Albone, E. S., Blazquez, N. B., Erench, J., Long, S. E., and Perry, G. C. (1986). Mammalian semiochemistry issues and futures, with some examples from a study of chemical signalling in cattle. In Chemical Signals in Vertebrates, vol. 4, ed. D. Duvall, D. Miiller-Schwarze, and R. M. Silverstein, pp. 27-36. New York Plenum. 

Economic consequences of scent marking in mammalian territoriality. In Chemical Signals in Verteirates, vol. 4, ed. D. Duvall, D. Miiller-Schwarze, and R. M. Silver-stein, pp. 385-395. New York Plenum. 

Albone, E.S. 1984. Mammalian Semiochemistry The Investigation of Chemical Signals Between Mammals pp 2—5. New York J. Wiley. 

Graziadei, P.P. 1976. Functional anatomy of the mammalian chemoreceptor system. In Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. (Ed. by D. Miiller-Schwarze M.M. Mozell), pp 435-454. New York Plenum Press. 

Mykytowycz, R., 1970, The role of skin glands in mammalian communication, in "Advances in Chemoreception, Vol. 1, Communication by Chemical Signals," J. W. Johnston, D. G. Moulton, and A. Turk, eds., Appleton-Century-Crof ts, New York. 

Albone, E. S., 1984, "Mammalian Semiochemistry the Investigation of Chemical Signals Between Mammals," J. Wiley and Sons, New York. Alexander, S. A., and Maderson, P. F. A., 1972, Further observations on holocrine epidermal specializations in iguanid lizards. Am. Zool., 12 731. 

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