Copulatory Plug Does Not Induce Luteal Activity in the Mouse Mus Musculus

McGill, Thomas E.; Corwin, David M.; Harrison, David T.

doi:10.1530/jrf.0.0150149

Cited by 20 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Although it appears that a large intromissive bout number can induce a high proportion of PSP, an ejaculatory event reliably induces PSP 100% of the time. These data support McGill and Coughlin’s findings (27) that an ejaculatory reflex, but not the copulatory plug (42) or the number of intromissive bouts (26), initiates PSP in mice. Females that did not receive an ejaculatory reflex with intromissive pelvic thrusts did not become pregnant or PSP, whereas females that did receive an ejaculatory reflex with intromissive pelvic thrusts did become pregnant or PSP (27, 28).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Mating‐Induced Neuroendocrine Responses During Pseudopregnancy in the Female Mouse

Yang

Larsen

Grattan

et al. 2008

J Neuroendocrinology

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Pseudopregnancy (PSP) is a neuroendocrine reflex triggered by vaginocervical stimulation similar to the neuroendocrine response of early pregnancy and is characterised by short-term neural activity, resulting in long-term neuroendocrine responses that cause repeated release of pituitary prolactin (PRL) over many days. PSP is a useful model to study how somatosensory input is transduced in the brain into neuroendocrine responses, and has been extensively characterised in rats. With increasing use of mice as an experimental model, however, and to allow use of transgenic mice to investigate mechanisms of this sensory response, it is important to characterise the principal neuroendocrine response of pseudopregnancy in this species. The present study aimed to examine the induction and neuroendocrine responses of PSP in mice using vasectomised stud males, to investigate mating-induced changes in vaginal cytology, uterine growth, and PRL secretion, and to map certain aspects of somatosensory transduction by assessing the neural activity marker FOS. Unlike the induction of pseudopregnancy in rats, which can be induced simply by multiple intromissions from a male or artificial mechanical stimulation of the cervix, PSP induction in mice required the receipt of an ejaculation from a male. In mice that received PSP-inducible mating stimuli, FOS expression was observed in a slightly different range of brain regions than has been observed in rats, with increases in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial preoptic area, and ventromedial hypothalamus, but not in limbic areas examined. Moreover, PSP mice expressed a single diurnal PRL surge on day 6 of PSP. Thus, the data demonstrate important species differences in the neuroendocrine mechanisms activated in response to a mating stimulus in mice compared with rats. A clear understanding of the species-specific response will be required in interpreting research into the reproductive biology of this species.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Mating‐Induced Neuroendocrine Responses During Pseudopregnancy in the Female Mouse

Yang

Larsen

Grattan

et al. 2008

J Neuroendocrinology

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“…At times, strands of plug material extend completely through the cervix and into the uterus. The hypothesis that the function of the copulatory plug in the mouse is to force spermatozoa through the cervix into the uterus and/or to aid in holding spermatozoa in the uterus was previously stated (McGill et al, 1968). To this, we may add the hypothesis that the plug also functions to continue the vaginal/cervical stretching initiated by the penile cup.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Previous studies (Land & McGill, 1967;McGill, Corwin & Harrison, 1968) involved a search for the stimulus provided by the male house mouse during mating that induces formation of functional corpora lutea in the female. The major conclusions of these studies were, first, that the male's pre-ejaculatory, copulatory thrusts are neither necessary nor sufficient for the induction of luteal activity and, second, that the large copulatory plug deposited by the male is not necessary (although it may be sufficient) for the induction of luteal activity in this species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ejaculatory Reflex and Luteal Activity Induction in Mus Musculus

McGill¹,

Coughlin²

1970

Reproduction

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Male mice were forcibly removed from oestrous females at times ranging from 1 to 7 sec following the beginning of the ejaculatory reflex. Females were then tested to determine if luteal activity had been induced. The results indicate that the stimulus inducing luteal activity in the female is initiated 3 or 4 sec after the beginning of the ejaculatory reflex. Observations of the penis during this reflex revealed a large increase in the diameter of the erect organ, particularly at the distal end. This anatomical change continued for 5 to 12 sec. It was suggested that the luteal-inducing stimulus is the mechanical stretching of the vagina and/or the cervix which results first from the swelling of the penis and is normally continued by the copulatory plug. Speculation concerning the events occurring during the transport of spermatozoa from the male to the uterus of the female is reported. Possible methods of improving the current techniques of artificial insemination in mice are discussed.

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“…Overall, these results suggest that mating is more likely than pregnancy to be the main stimulus responsible for the increase in polyploidy in corpora lutea. It is known that functional changes are induced in the mouse corpus luteum by vaginal stimulation at mating but that these changes do not necessarily require the production of a vaginal plug (McGill et al. 1968; McGill & Coughlin, 1970; McGill, 1970).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polyploid cells in the mouse ovary

et al. 2003

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Cell ploidy in the ovarian follicle and corpus luteum was investigated by DNA in situ hybridization to a reiterated, chromosome 3 transgene in mice that were hemizygous for the transgene. This approach was first validated by analysis of mouse kidney, pancreas and liver control tissues, which contain different frequencies of polyploid nuclei. Polyploid nuclei (with multiple hybridization signals) were seen in histological sections of both ovarian follicles and corpora lutea. The frequency of polyploid nuclei in follicles showed no consistent relationship with age (between 6 weeks and 10 months) but polyploid nuclei were significantly more abundant in corpora lutea than follicles (6.3% vs. 2.5%). This implies that production of polyploid cells is more closely associated with differentiation of ovarian follicles into corpora lutea than with the age of the female. Polyploidy tended to be more frequent in corpora lutea of mice that had mated even if they did not become pregnant. This study has highlighted the presence of polyploid cells in the mouse ovarian follicle and corpus luteum and has identified mating as a possible trigger for polyploidy in the corpus luteum. Further work is required to determine the physiological role of polyploid ovarian cells in reproduction.

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Copulatory Plug Does Not Induce Luteal Activity in the Mouse Mus Musculus

Cited by 20 publications

References 2 publications

Mating‐Induced Neuroendocrine Responses During Pseudopregnancy in the Female Mouse

Mating‐Induced Neuroendocrine Responses During Pseudopregnancy in the Female Mouse

Ejaculatory Reflex and Luteal Activity Induction in Mus Musculus

Polyploid cells in the mouse ovary

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