Relationships between scent marking by male mice and the pheromone-induced secretion of the gonadotropic and ovarian hormones that accompany puberty in female mice.

Abstract

Many mammals use specific olfactory cues (pheromones) as an integral part of their intrapopulation communication. These compounds can be conveniently categorized according to function as:(a) signalling pheromones, which elicit a more or less immediate change in behavior (if indeed a response does occur), and (b) priming pheromones, which trigger neuroendocrine and endocrine activity. Sex attractants are an example of the former:the regulatory effect of urinary odors on the mouse estrous cycle is an example of the latter. Much of the recent interest in mammalian pheromones stems from the discovery in the 1950’s of a series of dramatic primer effects in female mice (e.g., Whitten, 1956:Bruce, 1959). Many contributions have since been made by ethologists, psychologists, and reproductive physiologists:but work by chemists and neuro-physiologists is conspicuously absent. Recent reviews include Bronson (1968, 1971, 1974), Bruce (1966, 1967, 1970), Cheal and Sprott (1971), Eisenberg and Kleiman (1974), Gleason and Reynierse (1969), Mykytowycz (1970), Ralls (1971), Schultz and Tapp (1974), Whitten (1966), and Whitten and Bronson (1970).KeywordsScent MarkingUterine WeightImmature FemaleSubordinate MaleEstradiol BenzoateThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.