Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Bile, prolactin, and the maternal pheromone.

H Moltz, L C Leidahl

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |April 1, 1977
    PubMed
    Summary

    Female rat bile, specifically from mothers 21 days postpartum, triggers a maternal pheromone release in males. Bile from inhibited prolactin or early-lactation females did not elicit this response, indicating prolactin

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Fever: causes and consequences.

    Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·1993
    Same author

    E-series prostaglandins and arginine vasopressin in the modulation of male sexual behavior.

    Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews·1990
    Same author

    Pheromonal emission by pregnant rats protects against infanticide by nulliparous conspecifics.

    Physiology & behavior·1989
    Same author

    Infanticide in the male rat: the role of the vomeronasal organ.

    Physiology & behavior·1988
    Same author

    How the nose cools the brain during copulation in the male rat.

    Physiology & behavior·1988
    Same author

    Infanticide in rats: male strategy and female counter-strategy.

    Physiology & behavior·1988

    Area of Science:

    • Reproductive biology
    • Animal behavior
    • Endocrinology

    Background:

    • Maternal pheromones play a crucial role in offspring care and social bonding.
    • The hormonal changes during lactation are known to influence physiological and behavioral adaptations in female mammals.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the role of bile composition in the emission of maternal pheromones.
    • To determine the influence of prolactin and lactation stage on the pheromonal properties of female bile.

    Main Methods:

    • Bile was collected from female rats at different stages of lactation (21 days and 5 days) and from females with inhibited prolactin levels.
    • Bile was injected into the cecum of male rats.
    • The emission of maternal pheromones by male rats was observed and measured.

    Main Results:

    • Injection of bile from 21-day lactating females induced maternal pheromone release in male rats.
    • Bile from females with inhibited prolactin or from 5-day lactating females did not induce pheromone release.
    • This suggests a lactation-dependent, prolactin-mediated alteration of bile composition.

    Conclusions:

    • Prolactin significantly alters bile composition during established lactation to enable maternal pheromone emission.
    • A sex difference exists in pheromone emission, mediated by prolactin's effect on bile.
    • This finding sheds light on the hormonal regulation of maternal signaling and sex-specific behaviors.

    Related Experiment Videos