Nipple Location By Newborn Rabbits: Behavioural Evidence for Pheromonal Guidance

Hudson, Robyn; Distel, Hans

doi:10.1163/156853983x00255

Cited by 164 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(24 reference statements)

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“…For example, the newt pheromone sodefrin is a large decapeptide that stimulates the vomeronasal organ [22], a result consistent with the volatility hypothesis. Low-molecular-weight pheromones such as 2MB2 and androstenone are detected by the olfactory system [38][39][40]49], again consistent with the volatility hypothesis. Table 1 summarizes data concerning vertebrate pheromones, their molecular weights and the sensory organs that mediate the responses to them.…”

Section: Vomeronasal Responses To Non-pheromonal Stimulisupporting

confidence: 74%

“…For example, induction of nipple search and attachment in rabbit pups is mediated by a maternal pheromone, 2-methylbut-2-enal (2MB2), that is probably detected by the olfactory system [38,39]. Androstenone, a pheromone found in boar saliva, facilitates adoption of a mating posture in estrous female pigs (Sus scrofa).…”

Section: Vomeronasal Responses To Non-pheromonal Stimulimentioning

confidence: 99%

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Is the vomeronasal system really specialized for detecting pheromones?

Baxi

Dorries²,

Eisthen

2006

Trends in Neurosciences

148

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Section: Vomeronasal Responses To Non-pheromonal Stimulisupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Vomeronasal Responses To Non-pheromonal Stimulimentioning

confidence: 99%

Is the vomeronasal system really specialized for detecting pheromones?

Baxi

Dorries²,

Eisthen

2006

Trends in Neurosciences

148

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“…The basic structure of the adult rabbit olfactory system has extensively been studied (Allison and Warwick, 1949;Le Gros Clark, 1951, 1956Allison, 1953;Mulvaney and Heist, 1970;Yamamoto, 1976;Mori et al, 1985;Onoda andFujita, 1988, Harkema et al, 2006) and investigations on olfactory function are also well documented (Shepherd, 1971;Freeman and Schneider, 1982;Hudson and Distel, 1983;Distel and Hudson, 1984;Chaput and Holley, 1985;Hudson and Distel, 1987;Imamura et al, 1992;Schaal et al, 2003;Hudson et al, 2008). In view of the unique nature of the rabbit OM with respect to functional challenges during postnatal life Distel, 1983, 1984;Hudson et al, 2008), it is surprising that the postnatal morphology of the OM has been so little studied.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphofunctional Adaptations of the Olfactory Mucosa in Postnatally Developing Rabbits

Kavoi

Makanya

Plendl

et al. 2012

The Anatomical Record

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Rabbits are born blind and deaf and receive unusually limited maternal care. Consequently, their suckling young heavily rely on the olfactory cue for nipple attachment. However, the postnatal morphofunctional adaptations of olfactory mucosa (OM) are not fully elucidated. To clarify on the extent and the pattern of refinement of the OM following birth in the rabbit, morphologic and morphometric analysis of the mucosa were done at neonatal (0-1 days), suckling (2 weeks), weanling (4 weeks), and adult (6-8 months) stages of postnatal development. In all the age groups, the basic components of the OM were present. However, proliferative activity of cells of the mucosal epithelium decreased with increasing age as revealed by Ki-67 immunostaining. Diameters of axon bundles, packing densities of olfactory cells, and cilia numbers per olfactory cell knob increased progressively with age being 5.5, 2.1, and 2.6 times, respectively, in the adult as compared with the neonate. Volume fraction values for the bundles increased by 5.3% from birth to suckling age and by 7.4% from weaning to adulthood and the bundle cores were infiltrated with blood capillaries in all ages except in the adult where such vessels were lacking. The pattern of cilia projection from olfactory cell knobs also showed age-related variations, that is, arose as a tuft from the tips of the knobs in neonates and sucklings and in a radial pattern from the knob bases in weanlings and adults. These morphological changes may be attributed to the high olfactory functional demand associated with postnatal development in the rabbit.

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“…To locate the nipples rapidly, pups rely on odour cues emitted on the surface of the females' abdomen and/or in milk (e.g. Schley, 1976;Hudson and Distel, 1983;Keil et al, 1990;Coureaud et al, 2001). These odour cues may be learned before birth (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The reactivity of neonatal rabbits to the mammary pheromone as a probe for viability

Coureaud

Fortun-Lamothe

Langlois³

et al. 2007

Animal

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Newborn rabbits depend on a daily nursing interaction with the mother to gain milk and to survive. During this interaction, they localise and seize the nipples displaying a typical behaviour triggered by maternal odour cues. The mammary pheromone constitutes such a signal in domestic rabbits: it elicits sucking-related movements in more than 90% of the pups. However, some newborns remain unresponsive to the presentation of the pheromone, even pups apparently healthy and highly motivated to suck. The main goal of the present study was therefore to explore the link between the unresponsiveness of rabbit pups to the mammary pheromone and their growth and survival in breeding conditions. To that end, 293 newborns from 30 litters were tested for their head searching-oral grasping responses to the mammary pheromone on days 1 and 3, and their milk intake and mortality were followed up from days 1 to 21. It was hypothesised that unresponsive newborns would have subsequent difficulties in finding nipples, sucking and surviving. Early weight and success in milk intake were further considered as mediating factors in growth and viability. The results showed that pups that were unresponsive to the mammary pheromone on day 1 were less successful in gaining milk and had a higher rate of mortality than the responsive pups. However, this impact was modulated by the weight of pups: it appeared only in the lightest newborns. Moreover, this impact vanished on day 3. On the other hand, the pup weight and sucking success on days 1 to 3 strongly influenced viability and growth during the period extending from days 1 to 21. Taken together, the results show that the day-1 responsiveness of rabbit pups to the mammary pheromone can be considered as an indicator of individual viability in pups having a small weight (,48 g on day 1). The predictive validity of the pups' pheromonal reactivity seems however time-limited as it works only during the first, but crucial, postnatal days.

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Nipple Location By Newborn Rabbits: Behavioural Evidence for Pheromonal Guidance

Cited by 164 publications

References 22 publications

Is the vomeronasal system really specialized for detecting pheromones?

Is the vomeronasal system really specialized for detecting pheromones?

Morphofunctional Adaptations of the Olfactory Mucosa in Postnatally Developing Rabbits

The reactivity of neonatal rabbits to the mammary pheromone as a probe for viability

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