Recurrent breeding seasons in pinealectomized or optic-nerve-sectioned ferrets.
The breeding seasons of two groups of pinealectomized ferrets and one group of blind ferrets, with appropriate controls, were observed for up to 5 years after the operations. All animals showed recurrent breeding seasons. Both pinealectomized and blind animals became increasingly asynchronous after the first season, but showed no evidence of a free-running, endogenous circannual periodicity nor of synchronization to light or other environmental cues.
D000818:Animals; D001766:Blindness; D002335:Carnivora / Q000502:physiology*; D004971:Estrus; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets / Q000502:physiology*; D008027:Light; D010507:Periodicity; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal