Influence of photoperiod and social environment on sexual maturation in female deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii). 1983

I M Garcia, and J M Whitsett

Female deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) were reared on either a long photoperiod (15:9 hr light/dark) or on short days (8:16 hr light/dark) from birth. Beginning at weaning, females were housed with an adult male, with an adult female, or in social isolation. In the first experiment, vaginas opened more slowly in females on short days than in those on long days. Vaginal introitus was also retarded in females reared with an adult female in comparison with females reared in isolation. When examined at 37 days of age, females reared with an adult male had larger uteri than those reared alone; uteri were also larger in long-day than in short-day females. In Experiment 2, females were killed at 30 days of age; again, uterine growth was stimulated by exposure of young females to either long days or an adult male. As was previously demonstrated for male deer mice, sexual maturation in females is regulated by photoperiod and social cues. Heterospecific social stimuli accelerate maturation in individuals that otherwise would be inhibited by having been reared on a short photoperiod.

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
D010542 Peromyscus A genus of the subfamily SIGMODONTINAE consisting of 49 species. Two of these are widely used in medical research. They are P. leucopus, or the white-footed mouse, and P. maniculatus, or the deer mouse. Mice, Deer,Mice, White-Footed,Mouse, Deer,Mouse, White-Footed,Deer Mice,Deer Mouse,Mice, White Footed,Mouse, White Footed,White-Footed Mice,White-Footed Mouse
D005260 Female Females
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
D012741 Sexual Maturation Achievement of full sexual capacity in animals and in humans. Sex Maturation,Maturation, Sex,Maturation, Sexual
D012931 Social Environment The aggregate of social and cultural institutions, forms, patterns, and processes that influence the life of an individual or community. Social Context,Environment, Social,Social Ecology,Context, Social,Contexts, Social,Ecologies, Social,Ecology, Social,Environments, Social,Social Contexts,Social Ecologies,Social Environments
D012934 Social Isolation The separation of individuals or groups resulting in the lack of or minimizing of social contact and/or communication. This separation may be accomplished by physical separation, by social barriers and by psychological mechanisms. In the latter, there may be interaction but no real communication. Isolation, Social,Social Exclusion,Exclusion, Social,Social Exclusions

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