羊膻味的由来

2014-03-18 02:54:15

研究发现4-乙基辛醛能在雌性大脑中产生荷尔蒙的连锁反应，触发排卵，研究者将这一结果在线发表在近日的《当代生物学》上。

科学探索 来源：中国科学报

 

　　研究发现4-乙基辛醛能在雌性大脑中产生荷尔蒙的连锁反应，触发排卵，研究者将这一结果在线发表在近日的《当代生物学》上。

　　在农场旁待上一会，人们就会闻到一股“羊膻味”，这种味道令人作呕，却是雄性吸引雌性的利器。有一种现象被称为“雄性效应”，即雄性只需要出现在雌性面前，就能获得对方的青睐。长期以来，科学家一直怀疑雄鹿通过释放一种费洛蒙(一种由动物分泌出来且具有挥发性的化学物质)刺激雌性的生殖系统，现在他们终于找到了这一过程中的有效成分。

　　通过一种特制的可以吸收气体的头套，研究者成功地从雄性山羊和阉割过的雄性山羊的头部收集到了气体化合物，并将两者进行对比。此外，研究者还将每一种化学物质隔离，用以测试雌性山羊嗅到哪一种气味会产生反应。

　　研究发现4-乙基辛醛能在雌性大脑中产生荷尔蒙的连锁反应，触发排卵，研究者将这一结果在线发表在近日的《当代生物学》上。当暴露在空气中时，4-乙基辛醛会转换成4-乙基辛酸，这就是“羊膻味”的由来。而雄性山羊正是通过这种气味吸引雌性山羊的。

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　　原文摘要：

Identification of an Olfactory Signal Molecule that Activates the Central Regulator of Reproduction in Goats

Ken Murata,Shigeyuki Tamogami,Masamichi Itou,Yasutaka Ohkubo,Yoshihiro Wakabayashi,Hidenori Watanabe,Hiroaki Okamura,Yukari Takeuchi,Yuji Mori

　　Pheromone signals regulate conspecific behavior and physiology. Releaser pheromones induce specific behavior by exerting acute effects on the neuronal response, whereas primer pheromones induce physiological changes with long-lasting effects by changing the neuroendocrine status of the recipients. In mammals, although several types of releaser pheromones have been identified, the identities of primer pheromones, as well as their mechanisms of action, remain largely unknown. In sheep and goats, the seasonally anestrous endocrine state of females is changed to the estrous state upon exposure to male scents. This so-called “male effect” is one of the most conspicuous primer pheromone effects in mammals. In this study, we have identified an olfactory signal molecule that activates the central regulator of reproduction, the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse genErator, in goats. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze male goat headspAce volatiles, we identified several ethyl-branched aldehydes and ketones. We electrophysiologically demonstrated that one of these compounds, 4-ethyloctanal, activates the GnRH pulse generator in female goats. This is the first report of an olfactory molecule that has been shown to activate the central reproductive axis, and this discovery will provide a new direction for primer pheromone research.