Age-Related Changes on Marking, Marking-like Behavior and the Scent Gland in Adult Mongolian Gerbils(Meriones unguiculatus).

Abstract

Marking behavior, marking-like behavior [3] , and changes of the scent glands were observed in aged Mongolian gerbils. In Experiment 1, changes in the marking and marking-like behavior with aging were evaluated in adult male and female Mongolian gerbils of an inbred strain aged 6 to 36 months. The frequency of marking behavior in males was significantly higher than females throughout the observation period except at 36 months of age. On the other hand, frequency of marking-like behavior in males, but not in females decreased with aging, significantly. In Experiment 2, changes of the scent gland in adult males and females aged 6 to 36 months were morphologically evaluated. Macroscopic examination revealed an increase in the size length and width of the glands of males aged 12 months and females aged 6 months. Histologically the glands of all the males and females aged 6 months developed moderately or well. Some of the 12-month-old males and females showed acinar atrophy of the glands, and all the females aged 18 months or more had highly atrophied scent glands. From these results, we concluded that there is no relationship between the changes of marking behavior and those of the scent glands in aged male Mongolian gerbils, and assume that marking behavior in aged animals does not have an important meaning as marking. In Experiment 3, marking and marking-like behavior in castrated adult Mongolian gerbils aged 16 weeks were observed. The result showed that marking behavior, not marking-like behavior was inhibited after castration. From these findings, we consider that generally marking behavior in Mongolian gerbils consists of androgen-dependent marking behavior and androgen-independent marking behavior (marking-like behavior).

Surgical excision and morphological evaluation of altered abdominal scent glands in Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

“…Glandular tissue is found in association with hair follicles and is represented by nests and lobules of well‐differentiated acinar cells and fewer, peripheral basaloid reserve cells, supported by scant fibrovascular stroma. Acinar cells exhibit abundant finely granular to vacuolated cytoplasm, and secretory active cells contain large amounts of eosinophilic hyaline droplets constituting the secretory product (Rowe and others 1974, Arkin and others 2003).…”

“…The secretory product is assumed to have pheromonal properties (Thiessen and others 1968, Arkin and others 2003) and marking behaviour, observed from the age of 40 days onwards, is testosterone driven in males and oestrogen driven in females (Arkin and others 1999). In male gerbils, the size of the gland is directly related to the plasma levels of testosterone (Glenn and Gray 1965).…”

Age Affects Over‐Marking of Opposite‐Sex Scent Marks in Meadow Voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus

“…Scent marking increased as adult golden lion tamarins, koalas, Jack Russell Terriers, and mice grow older (Kleiman & Mack 1980;Smith 1980;Arakawa et al 2007;Cudd-Wirant et al 2007). Other studies demonstrated that scent marking was higher at or near puberty and then declined as individuals aged in gray mouse lemurs, honey badgers, and Mongolian gerbils (Arkin et al 2003;Begg et al 2003;Aujard & Né moz-Bertholet 2004;Cayetanot et al 2005). One study reported that the frequency of scent marking was not affected by age after North American beavers reached puberty (Herr et al 2006).…”

“…2007). Other studies demonstrated that scent marking was higher at or near puberty and then declined as individuals aged in gray mouse lemurs, honey badgers, and Mongolian gerbils (Arkin et al. 2003; Begg et al.…”

El jerbo como modelo de anemia por oxidación

“…Ésta glándula es aproximadamente el doble de grande en los machos, ya que marcan con mucha más frecuencia que las hembras (Thiessen et al, 1973), limitándose el marcaje de éstas a la gestación y la lactancia. Se asocia a un aumento de la agresividad (Wallace et al, 1973), por lo que se deduce que el marcaje es un comportamiento andrógeno-dependiente (Arkin et al, 2003). Según Arkin et al (1999) este comportamiento empieza a observarse a partir de los 19/22 días de edad.…”