Effects of early handling upon puberty: correlations with adrenal stress responsiveness.
Handling of rat pups for 5 min once a week prior to weaning to permit weighing of the litter significantly delays vaginal opening and ovulation and is associated with a reduction in the response to an ether stress administered at 60 days of age. Handling combined with replacement of the bedding material results in a further delay in puberty and a further reduction in the stress response. It is therefore necessary to follow uniform handling procedures in any study of a developmental process.
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D006234:Handling, Psychological