| Title: | Disruption of early pregnancy by direct and indirect exposure to novel males in mice: comparison of influences of preputialectomized and intact males |
| Author(s): | de Catanzaro D; Zacharias R; Muir C; |
| Address: | "Department of Psychology, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0022-4251 (Print) 0022-4251 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Inseminated female CF-1 mice (Mus musculus) were exposed on days 1 to 5 of pregnancy to unfamiliar outbred males. In the first experiment, inseminated females were each housed directly with the sire, a preputialectomized male, or an intact male. Both types of novel male attempted to mate with the female during this period, unlike the sire. Reinsemination occurred in a significant proportion of the females that were exposed to novel males; this effect was equivalent for preputialectomized and intact males. In two subsequent experiments, we refined a paradigm of indirect exposure to novel males through a wire-mesh grid, which prevents mating and reinsemination. Two or three males housed directly above each female through a grid disrupt pregnancy in most cases, but housing the males below the females is much less likely to do so. In a final experiment, each inseminated female was housed below two males that were either preputialectomized or sham-preputialectomized. Whereas 29 of 33 undisturbed controls were parturient, only eight of 32 females exposed to sham-preputialectomized males and six of 32 exposed to preputialectomized males were parturient. These results suggest that nonvolatile pheromones are involved in novel-male-induced pregnancy disruptions, but that preputial gland emissions are not necessary for such disruptions" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Female Male Mice Mice, Inbred Strains Penis Pregnancy Pregnancy Maintenance/*physiology Sebaceous Glands/*physiology/surgery Sex Attractants/*physiology;" |
| Notes: | "Medlinede Catanzaro, D Zacharias, R Muir, C eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 1996/03/01 J Reprod Fertil. 1996 Mar; 106(2):269-74. doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.1060269" |
