Effects of donor age on urinary chemosignals that influence the timing of first oestrus in young female house mice, Mus domesticus

Abstract

The effects of donor age on the effectiveness of puberty-influencing urinary chemosignals in wild house mice was tested in a series of 3 experiments. The chemosignal from male mice that accelerates puberty was present in the urine from about the time of puberty and throughout the normal lifespan, but declined about 1 year of age. Oestrous females released a substance in their urine that accelerates puberty in young females. This substance remained effective from first oestrus until over 1 year of age, although older females were in oestrus less frequently than younger mice. Females that are pregnant or lactating released a puberty-accelerating substance in their urine regardless of age. Production and release of the puberty-delaying chemosignal by grouped females was initiated before puberty and continued throughout the lifespan of the mouse.

Acceleration of puberty onset in female mice by male urinary proteins.

“…This urine was used as the control carrier solution because no MUP could be detected either by gel electrophoresis or by colorimetric protein assay. In addition, a previous study has demonstrated that prepubertal male urine by itself has no influence on female puberty onset (Drickamer, 1988). No difference could be observed in body weight prior to the treatments (U = 60-5, P = 0 5067).…”