Pheromones primers

For additional insight into the classification of pheromones, see M. K. McClintock, Human pheromones primers, releasers, signalers, or modulators in Reproduction in Context Social and Environmental Influences on Reproduction, K. Wallen and J. E. Schneider, eds, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 2000. 

Primer pheromones Primer pheromones trigger a series of physiological changes in the recipient. In contrast to a releaser pheromone, a primer pheromone has a... 

Faulkes C.G. and Abbott D.H. (1993). Evidence that primer pheromones do not cause social suppression of reproduction in male and female Naked Mole Rats (H. glaber). J Reprod Fertil 99, 225-230. 

Kaneko N., Debski E.A., Wilson M.C. and Whitten W.K. (1980). Puberty acceleration in mice II, Evidence that the vomeronasal organ is a receptor for the primer pheromone in male mouse urine. Biol Reprod 22, 873-878. 

Li C., Kaba H., Saito H. and Seto K. (1990). Neural mechanisms underlying the action of primer pheromones in mice. Neuroscience 36, 773-778. 

Preti G. and Wysocki C.J. (1999). Human pheromones releasers or primers, fact or myth In Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Johnston R.E., Miiller-Schwarze D. and Sorenson P., eds.). Kluwer Academic Press/Plenum, New York, pp. 315-332. 

The queen is usually reproductively dominant within the colony and uses chemical cues as both primer and releaser pheromones to suppress the production or fecundity of other sexuals, inhibit reproduction by worker castes, modulate reproductive behaviors (e.g., inhibit swarming and orient swarms), attract males, regulate worker tasks and worker ontogeny, and produce host repellents in slave-making species. Considering the importance of queen semiochemicals in social hymenoptera, few queen pheromones have been chemically identified. The queens of most social hymenopteran colonies are attractive to workers, allowing them to be properly tended as well as to facilitate the dissemination of other pheromone cues. However, the retinue pheromone has been chemically identified in very few species. In the 1980s, queen pheromone components were identified in the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta [91,92], and in the Pharaoh s ant, Monomoriumpharaonis [93]. 

Vargo EL (1998) Primer pheromones in ants. In Vander Meer RK, Breed MD, Espelie KE, Winston ML (eds) Pheromone communication in social insects ants, wasps, bees and termites. Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, p 293... 

Rosser, A.E., Remfry, C.J. and Keveme, E.B. (1989) Restricted exposure of mice to primer pheromones coincident with prolactin surges blocks pregnancy by changing hypothalamic dopamine release. J. Reprod. Fert. 87, 553-559. 

The terminology used in this research area is not well established in the chemical community while the term pheromone is widely known, semio-chemical is not. Nevertheless, chemicals used in the communication between individuals are correctly called semiochemicals recently the equivalent term infochemicals was introduced. These compounds can be further divided into pheromones, compounds used in communication between individuals of the same species, while allelochemicals serve interspecific communication. Most pheromones are releasers, i.e. they provoke a behavioral change in the receiver. More rare are primers, which provoke physiological changes. Allelochemicals can be divided into kairomones, which are advantageous for the receiver, while the emitter benefits from allomones. Synomones are advantageous for both the emitter and the receiver. 

The observed synchronization of the menstrual cycles of women living together in an all-female institution is ascribed to the effect of a primer pheromone and led to several earlier studies (e.g. [149,150]). Later results supported the pheromonal explanation of synchrony [151]. In an evaluation of the research on menstrual synchrony between mothers and daughters against the background of the results of other investigations, Weller and Weller [152] concluded that there are indications that menstrual synchrony could be affected by both pheromonal and environmental influences, and the interaction between them. 

Mice are a favorite experimental animal for scientists interested in mammalian pheromones they are easy to breed they have well-defined genetic backgrounds and they rely on pheromones in a number of ways. My former colleague at Indiana University, Milos Novomy, did the first definitive work on mammalian pheromones in the house mouse. He has identified a number of primer pheromones in the urine of male mice that accelerate puberty and induce estrus in female mice. ... 

Despite the difficulties, there is substantial additional reason to believe in human pheromones, although their role in shaping our lives is far from clear. The evidence just summarized from the 1971 McClintock study of menstrual synchrony in women provides an example of a primer pheromone at work in humans. Others have replicated McClintock s pioneering study. A 1980 study suggesting that underarm secretions might mediate menstrual synchrony,has been followed up by a more detailed study, also by McClintock, together with her coworker Kathleen Stem. " Here it is. 

In contrast to the evidence for primers, signalers, and modulators, there is no decent evidence to suggest that there are human releaser pheromones. That is not to argue that there are none but to state that there is no evidence for them at present. Nonetheless, products purported to be human releaser pheromones—specifically sex attractants—are widely available on the Internet. They go by such suggestive names as Scent of Eros, The Edge, Alter-ego, and Pheromone Additive. Many of these products contain either androstenone or androstenol, steroids of unknown influence on the human emotional state. 

There are four classes of pheromones. Releaser pheromones elicit immediate, behavioral responses. Primer pheromones elicit longer-term physiological or endocrine responses. Signaler pheromones act to provide information to the recipient. Modulator pheromones determine how a recipient organism will respond to a signal in a specific context. 

Primer pheromone a pheromone generating long-term physiological or endocrine... 

The VNO is extremely important in mediating endocrine responses to primer pheromones. Puberty acceleration in female rats by male urine odors can be prevented by electrolytic damage to the vomeronasal nerve. Also, effects of male urine odor such as shortening of the estrus cycle (see Ch. 8) can be eliminated by section of the vomeronasal nerve, or bilateral electrocoagulation of the accessory olfactory bulb (Sanchez-Criado, 1982). In rats, the odor of males stimulates ovulation in females, an effect that is lost if the VNO is extirpated (Johns etal., 1978). Female prairie voles, M. ochrogaster, respond to odors from males with reproductive activation. Surgical removal of the VNO from adult females impedes this reproductive activation by the stud male. The weights of the uterus and the ovaries of these females were lower than those of normal or sham-operated individuals. However, the females without a VNO were still able to locate food by chemical cues (Lepri and Wysocki, 1987). 

In fish reproduction, the best-investigated pheromone system is that of the goldfish [Carassius auratus). Here, sex steroids and prostaglandins play important roles. The female produces two pheromones sequentially a preovulatory primer pheromone and a postovulatory prostaglandin pheromone that act on the male. 

Males of the zebrafish, Danio rerio, release a primer pheromone that stimulates ovarian growth and ovulation in females (Chen and Martinich, 1975 van den Hurketu/., 1987). 

Benjamini, L. (1987). Primer pheromones in the Levant vole (Microtusguenthert) activation of reproduction in the female by male-related stimuli. Phytoparasitica 14,3-14. 

Verhoef H. A. (1984) Releaser and primer pheromones in collembola. J. Insect Physiol. 30, 665-670. 

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