Mammalian Pheromones

It is becoming increasingly clear that pheromones play a major role in the behavior and physiology of most mammals. This article outlines the diversity of mammalian pheromones and the effects they mediate, from volatile airborne molecules to involatile proteins and peptides. Families of receptors that detect pheromones are highly variable across species and there is still much to be discovered, mammalian pheromonal effects are often more context dependent and highly variable than in other vertebrates and invertebrates. This is particularly so in humans where specific pheromones have yet to be identified.