Med school

Q: What is the vomeronasal organ?

A: It’s a patch of specialized cells, part of the olfactory (smell) system, located above the roof of the mouth. The organ is found in amphibians, reptiles and mammals, but not all species. Its main job is to detect heavy, moisture-borne odor particles. In humans, birds, whales, crocodiles and turtles, the vomeronasal organ is absent or underdeveloped, but in snakes and lizards, it is used often via their darting tongues.