Photoperiodic regulation of seasonal testicular regression in the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). 1986

I L Boyd

Adult male wild rabbits were exposed to artificial daylengths of 8L:16D, 13L:11D or 20L:4D after being taken from the wild during September, when testicular size was minimal. In all groups the testes grew and those in 20L:4D grew more quickly than did those in 8L:16D or 13L:11D. Rabbits kept in the 3 daylength treatments for the whole study maintained enlarged testes after the initial growth phase. The testes of rabbits transferred to 13L:11D after 8 weeks in 20L:4D did not regress. A similar transfer after 16 weeks in 20L:4D resulted in testicular regression (P less than 0.01) followed by moult, and then testicular regrowth 9 weeks after the change of daylength. No regression occurred at this time in the control group kept in 20L:4D throughout the study. Plasma FSH concentration increased at the beginning of the study and was elevated during the initial period of testicular growth. Values then declined after the asymptote of testicular weight was reached. Plasma testosterone and LH concentrations did not change significantly throughout the study. The results showed that reproductive regression in wild rabbits can be induced by a reduction in the daylength, but that the potency of this reduction is dependent upon previous experience of daylength.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008027 Light That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range. Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008297 Male Males
D009929 Organ Size The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness. Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D011817 Rabbits A burrowing plant-eating mammal with hind limbs that are longer than its fore limbs. It belongs to the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, and in contrast to hares, possesses 22 instead of 24 pairs of chromosomes. Belgian Hare,New Zealand Rabbit,New Zealand Rabbits,New Zealand White Rabbit,Rabbit,Rabbit, Domestic,Chinchilla Rabbits,NZW Rabbits,New Zealand White Rabbits,Oryctolagus cuniculus,Chinchilla Rabbit,Domestic Rabbit,Domestic Rabbits,Hare, Belgian,NZW Rabbit,Rabbit, Chinchilla,Rabbit, NZW,Rabbit, New Zealand,Rabbits, Chinchilla,Rabbits, Domestic,Rabbits, NZW,Rabbits, New Zealand,Zealand Rabbit, New,Zealand Rabbits, New,cuniculus, Oryctolagus
D005640 Follicle Stimulating Hormone A major gonadotropin secreted by the adenohypophysis (PITUITARY GLAND, ANTERIOR). Follicle-stimulating hormone stimulates GAMETOGENESIS and the supporting cells such as the ovarian GRANULOSA CELLS, the testicular SERTOLI CELLS, and LEYDIG CELLS. FSH consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is common in the three pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH, LH, and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity. FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone),Follicle-Stimulating Hormone,Follitropin
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012621 Seasons Divisions of the year according to some regularly recurrent phenomena usually astronomical or climatic. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Seasonal Variation,Season,Seasonal Variations,Variation, Seasonal,Variations, Seasonal
D013737 Testis The male gonad containing two functional parts: the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES for the production and transport of male germ cells (SPERMATOGENESIS) and the interstitial compartment containing LEYDIG CELLS that produce ANDROGENS. Testicles,Testes,Testicle
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