AJP - Regu AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 271: R1041-R1046, 1996;
0363-6119/96 $5.00
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Prendergast, B. J.
Right arrow Articles by Gorman, M. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Prendergast, B. J.
Right arrow Articles by Gorman, M. R.

AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 271, Issue 4 1041-R1046, Copyright © 1996 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Enhanced reproductive responses to melatonin in juvenile Siberian hamsters

B. J. Prendergast, K. K. Kelly, I. Zucker and M. R. Gorman
Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley 94720, USA.

Reproductive responses to melatonin (Mel) exposure were assessed in male Siberian hamsters gestated in long (16 h light/day; 16L) or short (8 h light/day; 8L) day lengths (DLs). Hamsters were maintained in constant light beginning at 14 days of age (day 14) and were infused for 3 successive days beginning on day 18, 25, or 32 with long (12 h/day) or short (6 h/day) durations of Mel or saline. Two weeks later, testis and body weights were determined. Responsiveness to Mel was enhanced in hamsters beginning shortly after weaning and was influenced by photoperiodic history. Gonadal growth in 16L hamsters was inhibited by 12-h Mel infusions initiated on day 18 or day 25, but infusions initiated on day 32 were ineffective. Hamsters gestated in 8L were not responsive to Mel treatments initiated on day 18, but discriminated 12-h from 6-h infusions at day 25 and manifested reduced gonadal growth after 12-h Mel infusions on day 32. Hamsters born in 8L to dams judged as photoinsensitive to short DLs did not respond to 12-h infusions on day 32 as inhibitory signals. We propose that maternal Mel secretion provides juvenile males with a photoperiodic history, which allows them to compare gestational with early postweaning Mel signals and thereby program seasonally appropriate developmental trajectories.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
A. K. Flynn, D. A. Freeman, I. Zucker, and B. J. Prendergast
Testicular development in Siberian hamsters depends on frequency and pattern of melatonin signals
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, October 1, 2000; 279(4): R1182 - R1189.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
B. J. Prendergast, M. R. Gorman, and I. Zucker
Establishment and persistence of photoperiodic memory in hamsters
PNAS, May 9, 2000; 97(10): 5586 - 5591.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Visit Other APS Journals Online