Heterosexual interactions of pairs of laboratory-housed stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides) under continuous observation with closed-circuit video recording

Female-male interaction of heterosexual pairs of stumptail macaques, housed together continuously, was studied 24 hr per day using closed-circuit video recording. Two pairs were studied for approximately 2 months each. Although no generalizations can be made from such a small sample, no aspect of behavioral interaction varied significantly with the stage of the menstrual cycle of the female partner. Copulation occurred regularly but only during the daylight hours. Both pairs showed several peak ejaculation days (5-21 ejaculations/day), which were distributed throughout the entire menstrual cycle. In general, the highest number of ejaculations was observed to occur when the animals were put together either for the first time or following a separation of a few days. In one pair the female became pregnant, and from the fifth week of pregnancy onward there was a gradual increase in male aggression, coinciding with a decrease in male sexual and grooming behavior. In a second study eight different pairs were observed during the first day together and male copulatory behavior was studied. Two patterns of copulatory behavior could be discerned: pairs displaying a high number of ejaculations (19-38) and pairs displaying a low number of ejaculations (4-8). With regard to the interejaculatory interval (IEI), the male stumptail appeared to be unique. In contrast to what has been reported for other mammals, i.e., a steady increase in IEI with subsequent ejaculations, the stumptail showed increasing IEIs only during the first three to four, as well as between the last, ejaculations; in between, the IEI remained relatively constant. The maximum number of consecutive ejaculations observed was 38, displayed during a 10-hr time period (mean (± SEM)IEI, 12.9 ± 3.5 min)

Ovulation rate, follicle population and FSH levels in cyclic rats after administration of an inhibin-neutralizing antiserum

Ovulation rate, follicle growth, serum FSH and oestradiol concentrations were studied after a single intraperitoneal injection of inhibin antiserum in 5-day-cyclic rats. Control rats received (non-immune) serum from castrated sheep or saline. Rats were injected at 10.00 h on dioestrus-1 (D1), i.e. the day following the day of oestrus, or at 17.00 h on dioestrus-2 (D2). The ovaries were excised at necropsy 48 h after injection, or at first or second oestrus after injection. After routine histology fresh corpora lutea were counted and/or differential follicle counts were made. Results from rats injected with either (non-immune) serum from castrated sheep or with saline were not different and were therefore combined to form the control group. The activity of inhibin-neutralizing antibodies in the circulation of antiserum-treated rats was reduced by approximately 39% between 8 h and second oestrus after injection, as determined by the binding of purified bioactive radioiodinated 31 kDa bovine inhibin. Rats were injected on D1 and killed at first oestrus. The number of fresh corpora lutea was significantly higher in antiserum-treated rats than in controls (13.9 ± 0.4 vs 11.8 ± 0.4; P 100 x 105 μm3 and diameter >260 μm). The ovaries of the antiserum-treated group collected at second oestrus contained more corpora lutea than controls (17.5 ± 0.5 vs 13.6 ± 0.4; P < 0.001). Serum FSH levels at 8, 16, 24 and 48 h after antiserum injection were elevated (P < 0.05). Overall oestradiol levels in antiserum-treated rats were increased from 8 to 24 h and at first oestrus (P < 0.05) as compared with control rats. Further rats were injected on D2 and necropsied at first or second oestrus which caused ovulation rate to almost double at first oestrus (antiserum 23.7 ± 1.4 vs control 12.4 ± 0.4; P < 0.01), while at second oestrus there was no difference between antiserum-treated and control rats. The rise in FSH level after injection of antiserum on D1 caused follicle recruitment in addition to that normally occurring on the morning of oestrus (36 h earlier) and reduced atresia, resulting in a moderately increased ovulation rate on the first and second oestrus after injection. If the interval between anti-serum injection and the next oestrus was shortened (injection on D2), ovulation rate was doubled, while on the next oestrus (second) there was no difference compared with controls. It is concluded that inhibin is progressively involved in the control of follicle growth and ovulation rate via its effect on serum FSH levels during the oestrus cycle of the rat

PLASMA CONCENTRATIONS OF OESTRADIOL-17β AND SERUM LEVELS OF FOLLICLE STIMULATING HORMONE IN THE IMMATURE FEMALE RAT

International audienc

Periovulatory changes in serum concentration and ovarian content of 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol in the adult rat.

The high amounts of 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol (3 alpha-diol) present in immature female rats decline towards first ovulation, but on the day of first proestrus a peak is seen. This raises the possibility that during adulthood similar proestrous peaks may occur. Therefore, serum concentrations and ovarian content of 3 alpha-diol were estimated every two hours between 0900 and 2100 h in adult cyclic rats on the day of proestrus. In the same rats, serum concentrations of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured, as were ovarian contents of E2 and P. A significant elevation in ovarian 3 alpha-diol was found between 0900 and 1700 h proestrus, whereas serum concentrations of 3 alpha-diol were elevated from 1300 to 2100 h. The high morning values of ovarian 3 alpha-diol correlated with those for ovarian E2 (p less than 0.005); the elevated serum concentrations of 3 alpha-diol during the afternoon correlated with serum P (p less than 0.005) and with serum LH concentrations (p less than 0.005). Serum and ovarian values were positively correlated for P and E2, but not for 3 alpha-diol. The rise in serum 3 alpha-diol could be prevented by blocking the LH surge with sodium pentobarbitone (Nembutal; 35 mg/kg b.w.) administered at 1300 h. In Nembutal-treated rats, the concentration of 3 alpha-diol at 1700 h (886 pg/ml) was significantly lower than in saline-treated control rats (1135 pg/ml; p less than 0.005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

Ontogenic development of steroid 16 alpha-hydroxylase as a tool for the study of the multiplicity of cytochrome P-450.

peer reviewedaudience: researcher, professional1. Activities of progesterone, testosterone, pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone 16 alpha-hydroxylase are undetectable in the fetal rat liver. During the neonatal period, the four enzymic activities increase in parallel to the concentration of cytochrome P-450. Until puberty, they develop similarly in male and female rat livers. From the 40th to the 55th day, the four steroid 16 alpha-hydroxylase activities increase rapidly in the male rat liver. The sexual differentiation of the steroid 16 alpha-hydroxylation observed in adult male and female rats takes place around the 55th day. 2. In the adult rat liver, steroid 16 alpha-hydroxylase is supported by two forms of cytochrome P-450 (form I and form II), which differ in their relative affinities for the various steroid substrates, and by their relative proportions in male and female rat livers. These two forms of cytochrome P-450 are also present in the young male and female rat livers, but are roughly equal in proportion. The transition from the immature to the adult repartition of the two forms occurs during puberty and is correlated with the sexual differentiation of the steroid 16 alpha-hydroxylase activities. 3. During the critical phases of the rat ontogenic development, the in vitro interactions between benzo[a]pyrene and steroids were compared at the level of two rat liver monooxygenases: steroid 16 alpha-hydroxylase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase. (a) In the immature male and female rat livers, progesterone 16 alpha-hydroxylase, and to a lesser extent, pregnenolone 16 alpha-hydroxylase are inhibited by benzo[a]pyrene. Progesterone 16 alpha-hydroxylase is also inhibited by metyrapone. (b) In the young rat, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase cannot be inhibited by steroids and appears to be supported by a single form of cytochrome P-450. The transition from the immature to the adult situation occurs around the 40th day