Question

Pheromones are air-born chemicals that are sensed through olfaction. In deer, females release a sexually attractive pheromone during mating season that is sensed by male deer.
Why do only certain cells in the male deer receive pheromone signals, while the pheromones are exposed to all cells in the male deer?

• A. All cells contain the intra- and extra-cellular receptors necessary to stimulate a signal transduction pathway.
• B. Only certain cells in the male (particularly cells involved in the sex response) have receptors that bind to the female deer pheromone.
• C. Temporal isolation causes the receptors to only be active during mating season to maximize cell energy efficiency.
• D. Cell reception is different than organ processing of chemical signals.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Only certain cells in the male (particularly cells involved in the sex response) have receptors that bind to the female deer pheromone.

The male deer has specialized chemical receptors in the vermonasal region, that helps the detection of pheromones released by the female deer through urine during estrous phase.

So, the correct answer is 'Only certain cells in the male (particularly cells involved in the sex response) have receptors that bind to the female deer pheromone'