Vomeronasal receptor (VR) (VR)

Vomeronasal receptors (VRs) are a specialized class of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) primarily located in the vomeronasal organ (VNO), which is part of the accessory olfactory system in most vertebrates [1][3]. These receptors are categorized into two distinct families: V1Rs, which are rhodopsin-like and detect small volatile molecules, and V2Rs, which are glutamate-like and detect larger water-soluble peptides [1][2]. Their primary biological function is the detection of pheromones and kairomones, which triggers innate social and reproductive behaviors such as mating, aggression, and territorial defense [3]. In humans, the VNO is largely considered vestigial, and the majority of VR genes have become pseudogenes, although a few functional V1R-like genes (e.g., VN1R1) are expressed in the main olfactory epithelium [4]. While research has explored the impact of putative human pheromones on brain activity and mood, no therapeutic drugs currently target these receptors [5]. Consequently, VRs are not established therapeutic targets in clinical medicine, though they remain significant in the study of mammalian behavior and chemosensory evolution [3][4].

Other names

Vomeronasal organ receptorPheromone receptorV1RV2RVN1RVN2R

Vomeronasal receptors function through G protein-coupled signaling; V1Rs typically couple with Gai2, while V2Rs couple with Gao, both leading to the activation of phospholipase C and the subsequent opening of TRPC2 cation channels, which depolarizes the sensory neuron [1][3].