Effects of mandibular gland ectomy and environmental temperature of dams on eyelid opening and body weight of pups in mice.

Effects of the mandibular gland ectomy and environmental temperature to pups in Jcl: ICR mice were studied. In normal environmental animal room (A room; Tem. 23 +/- 2 degrees C, R. H. 50 +/- 10%), the mammary gland weights of lactating mothers and the body weights of pups in sialoadenectomized groups were slightly smaller than that of control groups during lactating period, whereas the eyelid opening of pups was not different between both groups and all pups exhibited complete eyelid opening on 14th day after birth. On the other hand, in cold environmental animal room (B room; Tem. 15 +/- 2 degrees C, R. H. 60 +/- 20%), the mammary gland weights of lactating mothers and the body weights of pups in sialoadenectomized groups were smaller than that of sialoadenectomized groups in A room and the eyelid opening of pups was considerably delayed when compared with that of control groups. The pups exhibited complete eyelid opening at 16th day after birth. These results were caused by mandibular gland ectomy and considered to be easily influenced by environmental conditions.