title: Physical and behavioral aspects of sexual maturation in male golden hamsters.
abstract: Male golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were examined from 3 to 9 wk of age for morphological, physiological, and behavioral indices of sexual maturation. Although each of the eight variables selected for measurement displayed a unique developmental profile, a principal-components analysis of these variables resulted in the extraction of two principal components, one tentatively labeled physical and gross behavioral maturation (accounting for 66% of the total variance) and the other designated perfection of mounting orientation (accounting for an additional 12% of the variance). This result indicates that puberty in the male hamster is best viewed as two independent processes, rather than as a unitary process, or as an arbitrary term applied to a variety of unrelated developmental phenomena. Advantages of using multi-variate composite scores and selected univariate measurements are discussed; as are methods of comparing developmental changes in different variables. A second experiment confirmed an unexpectedly early onset of androgen secretion and an unusual pattern of body weight gain.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002369:Castration; D003307:Copulation; D006224:Cricetinae; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012627:Sebaceous Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone