Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (9)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wedekind, C.
Right arrow Articles by Penn, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Wedekind, C.
Right arrow Articles by Penn, D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Nephrol Dial Transplant (2000) 15: 1269-1271
© 2000 European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association

Editorial Comments

MHC genes, body odours, and odour preferences

Claus Wedekind and Dustin Penn

University of Utah, Department of Biology, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Introduction

Increasing evidence indicates that the highly polymorphic genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) influence odour and mating preferences in house mice and humans [1]. MHC genes encode cell-surface glycoproteins (class I and II molecules) that bind short peptides and present them to T lymphocytes. Through this mechanism, MHC genes control the immunological self/non-self discrimination, and subsequently, tissue rejection and immune recognition of infectious diseases. Thus, it is suspected that the extraordinary polymorphism of MHC loci is maintained by balancing selection from infectious diseases, though direct evidence for this hypothesis is lacking [2]. Surprisingly, the best evidence indicates that MHC polymorphisms are driven by sexual selection. Studies in house mice indicate that both males and females prefer MHC-dissimilar mates [3–5], who they apparently recognize by odour cues [6]. Studies in humans have also found MHC-associated odour [7] and . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Hypotheses about the functional significance

Odour and mating preferences in humans

Hypotheses about the mechanism of odour production

Acknowledgments

Notes

References


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 JRSMHome page
M. F Bhutta
Sex and the nose: human pheromonal responses
J R Soc Med, June 1, 2007; 100(6): 268 - 274.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Am. Soc. Nephrol.Home page
S.D. Crowley, S.B. Gurley, M.J. Herrera, P. Ruiz, R. Griffiths, A.P. Kumar, H.-S. Kim, O. Smithies, T.H. Le, T.M. Coffman, et al.
Role of Renal Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptors in the Genesis of Hypertension: Guyton Revisited: Angiotensin II Causes Hypertension and Cardiac Hypertrophy through Its Receptors in the Kidney. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 103: 17985-17990, 2006
J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., February 1, 2007; 18(2): 356 - 363.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
T. V. F. Hviid
HLA-G in human reproduction: aspects of genetics, function and pregnancy complications
Hum. Reprod. Update, May 1, 2006; 12(3): 209 - 232.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]