Role of the vomeronasal organ and prolactin in the acceleration of puberty in female mice.

Young female mice were grouped on Day 21 after birth and subjected to removal of the vomeronasal organ. Soiled bedding from intact adult males failed to advance the onset of first oestrus in these lesioned mice compared to the various control groups. Vomeronasal organ lesions of prepubertal females also prevented increases in uterine weight following exposure to soiled bedding for 48 h on Day 23 when compared to controls. Lowering prolactin by injections of bromocriptine for 48 h on Day 26, but not Day 23, advanced the onset of puberty in intact and vomeronasal organ-lesioned females. Elevating prolactin by injections of domperidone were without effect on the early onset of oestrus when compared to sham-injected controls. It is concluded that marked similarities exist in both the receptor system and neuroendocrine mechanism of male pheromone action observed in prepubertal females and that seen in the adult.