Darcin: a male pheromone that stimulates female memory and sexual attraction to an individual male's odour
TL;DR
Named after Mr. Darcy, darcin is the molecular mechanism for 'love at first sight'—one protein creates both instant attraction and individual-specific loyalty.
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Discovery of a mammalian pheromone that triggers both inherent sexual attraction AND learned preference for a specific individual's odor—explaining how initial contact can create lasting individual-specific loyalty.
Key Findings from Roberts et al. (2010)
- Darcin (MUP20) is male-specific and triggers inherent female attraction as strong as intact male urine
- Contact with darcin conditions females to prefer that specific male's airborne odor for 4+ weeks
- The protein is involatile (must be contacted) while the learned scent is airborne—two-stage system
- Darcin constitutes ~15% of urinary protein in some strains, <0.5% in others
- Also stimulates hippocampal neurogenesis in exposed females