Male-pheromone effect on the efficiency of pregnancy in female mice.
Outbred female mice were exposed during 3 oestrous cycles and mated to outbred or C57BL/kw males. Although ovulation number (CL and flushed eggs) was similar in all females, there were significantly fewer (P < 0.01) fertilized eggs and implantations in females exposed and mated to C57BL/kw males. Exposure to outbred males and mating with C57BL/kw males led to some improvement but the best results were obtained with females mated to outbred males. The activity of uterine dehydrogenases on Day 4 of pregnancy was also greatest in females mated to outbred males. It is concluded that the pheromonal stimulation leads to hormone concentration differences which affect implantation.
D000818:Animals; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D014599:Uterus / Q000201:enzymology
D010675:Pheromones; D010088:Oxidoreductases