Pheromones are molecules involved in intraspecies comunication. They come from some glands and are relesed in the enviroment by sweat, saliva and urinary secretions, in which they may be in free form or bound to particular proteins.
At present there is experimental evidence for the involvement of pheromones in some neuroendocrine and behavioural responses. Since many years our Laboratory is involver in the study of pheromonal communication in the domestic mouse and in the purification of the pherolmonal signals.

Our research at present is focussed on:

- MUPs (Major Urinary Proteins), proteins with binding sites for small molecules, involved in the diffusion of the signals in the enviroment;

- Behaviour induced by pheromones (territory marking, aggressive behaviour, reproduction);

- Neuroendocrine responses induced by pheromones (sexual maturation, estrous regulation).