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The maternal pheromone and bile acids in the lactating rat
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
|April 1, 1980
Summary
Cholic acid levels in rat bile peak during the postpartum period, suggesting it or a metabolite, not deoxycholic acid, is linked to the maternal pheromone. This finding revises the hypothesis on pheromone origins.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Animal behavior
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Maternal pheromones play a crucial role in offspring recognition and care.
- The specific biochemical basis for maternal pheromone production remains largely unknown.
- Previous hypotheses suggested a role for deoxycholic acid in pheromone signaling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between bile acids, specifically cholic acid and deoxycholic acid, and the appearance of maternal pheromones in rats.
- To test the hypothesis that deoxycholic acid is involved in maternal pheromone signaling.
- To propose a revised hypothesis based on experimental findings.
Main Methods:
- Bile was collected from virgin and postpartum rats at various time points (5, 12, 21, 30 days postpartum).
- Bile samples underwent enzymatic analysis after chromatographic separation.
- Concentrations of cholic acid and deoxycholic acid were quantified.
Main Results:
- Cholic acid levels exhibited a distinct peak specifically during the period of pheromonal emission in postpartum rats.
- Deoxycholic acid levels did not show a similar peak correlated with pheromone emission.
- A significant correlation was observed between elevated cholic acid and the presence of the maternal pheromone.
Conclusions:
- The study refutes the hypothesis implicating deoxycholic acid as the primary driver of maternal pheromone appearance.
- Findings support a revised hypothesis where cholic acid, or another of its metabolites, is the likely precursor to the maternal pheromone.
- This research provides novel insights into the biochemical underpinnings of maternal recognition and bonding in mammals.