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Mesotocin and luteal function in macropodid marsupials.
J D Curlewis1, M B Renfree, E L Sheldrick
1Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park.
The Journal of Endocrinology
|June 1, 1988
Summary
Mesotocin, a hormone found in tammar wallaby pituitaries, does not appear to regulate reproduction or act as a luteostatic agent. Studies in Bennett
Area of Science:
- Reproductive endocrinology
- Neuroendocrinology
- Comparative physiology
Background:
- The roles of nonapeptides like oxytocin and mesotocin in marsupial reproduction are not fully understood.
- Mesotocin is structurally similar to oxytocin and is found in non-placental mammals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and concentration of mesotocin and oxytocin in the pituitary and corpus luteum of the tammar wallaby.
- To determine if mesotocin has a luteostatic function during seasonal reproductive quiescence in Bennett's wallaby.
Main Methods:
- Extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of pituitary and corpus luteum tissues.
- Radioimmunoassays (RIAs) to quantify mesotocin and oxytocin concentrations.
- Passive immunization of female Bennett's wallabies against mesotocin during seasonal quiescence.
Main Results:
- Mesotocin was identified in tammar wallaby pituitary extracts (0.75 nmol/g wet weight), but oxytocin was not.
- Neither mesotocin nor oxytocin was detected in corpus luteum extracts.
- Passive immunization against mesotocin did not affect progesterone levels, reproductive behaviors, or births in Bennett's wallabies.
Conclusions:
- Mesotocin is present in the tammar wallaby pituitary but not in the corpus luteum.
- Mesotocin is unlikely to function as a systemic luteostatic agent in seasonal reproductive quiescence in wallabies.