Meek L R, Lee T M, Rogers E A, Hernandez R G
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48104-1687.
Biol Reprod. 1994 Sep;51(3):400-4. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod51.3.400.
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) mediates the induction of behavioral estrus in prairie voles by male chemosignals; however, the importance of this system for the initiation of estrus in meadow voles, a species in which spontaneous estrus has been postulated, is unknown. This experiment was designed to investigate the influence of VNO-mediated chemosensory information on behavioral estrus in meadow voles housed in photoperiods simulating summer (long photoperiods; 14L:10D) and winter (short photoperiods; 10L:14D). The VNO was removed from nulliparous female meadow voles, and the percentage of animals mating after removal and the timing of mating onset were assessed. Removal of the organ did not suppress mating or change the timing of mating onset in females housed in short photoperiods. In animals housed in long photoperiods, in contrast, removal of the organ significantly increased the percentage of females mating and the percentage of females mating rapidly after pairing. The results indicate that chemosensory information mediated via the VNO is not necessary for the induction of behavioral estrus in meadow voles and lends support to the hypothesis that meadow voles have a spontaneous estrus. We postulate that polygynous, solitary meadow voles reproduce more effectively with spontaneous estrus than with the induced estrus described for monogamous, group-living prairie voles.
犁鼻器（VNO）通过雄性化学信号介导草原田鼠行为性发情的诱导；然而，对于草甸田鼠（一种推测具有自发发情的物种）发情启动而言，该系统的重要性尚不清楚。本实验旨在研究VNO介导的化学感觉信息对处于模拟夏季（长光照周期；14小时光照：10小时黑暗）和冬季（短光照周期；10小时光照：14小时黑暗）光照周期下的草甸田鼠行为性发情的影响。将未生育的雌性草甸田鼠的犁鼻器摘除，评估摘除后交配的动物百分比以及交配开始的时间。摘除该器官并未抑制短光照周期饲养的雌性田鼠的交配行为，也未改变其交配开始的时间。相比之下，在长光照周期饲养的动物中，摘除该器官显著增加了交配的雌性百分比以及配对后迅速交配的雌性百分比。结果表明，通过犁鼻器介导的化学感觉信息对于草甸田鼠行为性发情的诱导并非必要，这支持了草甸田鼠具有自发发情的假说。我们推测，多配偶、独居的草甸田鼠通过自发发情比通过一夫一妻制、群居的草原田鼠所描述的诱导发情能更有效地繁殖。
