TY - JOUR T1 - Odors Detected by Mice Deficient in Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channel Subunit A2 Stimulate the Main Olfactory System JF - The Journal of Neuroscience JO - J. Neurosci. SP - 3703 LP - 3710 DO - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0188-04.2004 VL - 24 IS - 14 AU - Weihong Lin AU - Julie Arellano AU - Burton Slotnick AU - Diego Restrepo Y1 - 2004/04/07 UR - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/24/14/3703.abstract N2 - It is believed that odor transduction in the mammalian main olfactory system only involves the cAMP-signaling pathway. Here, we report on odor responsiveness in mice with a disrupted cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channel subunit A2. Several odorants, including putative pheromones, can be detected and discriminated by these mice behaviorally. These odors elicit responses in the olfactory epithelium, main olfactory bulb, and olfactory (piriform) cortex of CNGA2 knock-out mice. In addition, responses to odors detected by CNGA2 knock-out mice are relatively insensitive to inhibitors of the cAMP pathway. These results provide strong evidence that cAMP-independent pathways in the main olfactory system of mammals participate in detecting a subset of odors. ER -