title: Oestrous cycle disruption in group-housed mice: evaluation of the involvement of tactile and pheromonal stimuli.
abstract: The role of tactile stimuli and pheromonal stimuli in the induction of oestrous cycle irregularities in mice was evaluated. In contrast to an adult regularly cycling female (the test female) housed in contact with 6 adult females, a test female housed in contact with 6 impuberal females failed to show disruption of oestrous cycle. Likewise, a test female housed in contact with bedding soiled by 6 group-housed adult females failed to exhibit disruption of oestrous cycle. By contrast, a test female housed in contact with 6 impuberal females on bedding soiled by 6 adult group-housed females exhibited a significant increase in the incidence of prolonged cycles. However, a test female housed with 6 impuberal females without direct contact with the bedding soiled by adult group-housed females exhibited a significant decrease in the incidence of prolonged cycles. The results suggest that tactile stimuli and pheromonal stimuli (probably present in the excrete of adult females) act synergistically in inducing cycle disruption. The findings further indicate that the female-originating pheromone involved in oestrous cycle disruption is non-volatile (not air-borne) and that it acts through contact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Archunan
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Dominic
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D004971:Estrus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D010675:Pheromones