Navigation Links
When mice choose mates, experience counts

Choosing a mate is a big decision. And, at least for mice, it's one that is best made with input from one's peers.

In a series of experiments designed help scientists understand the brain chemicals that guide mate selection, Pfaff and his colleagues exposed female mice to odors of either a male mouse alone or a male mouse with a female. The females consistently preferred the scent of males linked to other females.

"Our data suggest that female mice may use, or even copy, the interests of other females based on olfactory cues," says Pfaff, who is head of the Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior. "It could also be seen as a female trusting the mate choice of another female."

That one female's choice of mate could influence the choices of other females is well documented in birds and fish, but had not been documented for any mammalian species. Pfaff says that the female mice's mate preference was so strong that they even preferred the combined male/female scent when it was tainted with the scent of infectious parasites, opting for that over the scent of a healthy lone male.

"Male odors can provide female mice with information on their quality, condition, health and suitability as a potential mate," says Pfaff. "This type of 'public information' uses cues inadvertently provided by an individual, such as odor, which others observe use to make decisions such as mate choice, food location, or presence of danger. Specifically in birds and fish, 'public information' has been shown play a role in when and what to eat and with whom to mate with, but its use in mate choice has not been seen in mammals."

Pfaff, who is interested in how brain chemicals affect behavior, says the decisions made by the female mice hinge on the presence of oxytocin, a neurotransmitter associated, in humans, with bonding, trust and sexual attraction. When the gene for oxytocin was missing, female mice no longer preferentially chose male odors paired with other
'"/>

Source:Rockefeller University


Page: 1 2

Related biology news :

1. Female pronghorns choose mate based on substance as well as show
2. T for two: Scientists show how immune system chooses best way to fight infection
3. Many couples choose to donate surplus embryos for stem cell research
4. Genes and biomarkers that allow doctors to choose the right therapy for the right patient
5. Why do oysters choose to live where they could be eaten?
6. Older female fish prefer imperfect male mates, study finds
7. Penguin chicks exposed to human visitors experience spike in stress hormone
8. Virtual animal shelters ?How the Internet is transforming the experience of pet adoptions
9. Past experience of pheromones induces dominant courtship behavior in fruit flies
10. Brain differences could explain why males and females experience pain relief differently
11. Just the expectation of a mirthful laughter experience boosts endorphins 27 percent, HGH 87 percent
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
TAG: When mice choose mates experience counts

(Date:6/18/2013)... a very large "dead zone" in the Gulf of ... the Chesapeake Bay this year, based on several NOAA-supported ... Michigan, Louisiana State University, and the Louisiana Universities ... Mexico hypoxic "dead" zone will be between 7,286 and ... ten largest recorded. That would range from an area ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... of Health has awarded $12.7 million to match ... pharmaceutical industry compounds to explore new treatments for ... Duchenne muscular dystrophy and schizophrenia. The collaborative pilot ... Molecules, is led by the National Center for ... NIH Common Fund. , The process of developing ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... 2013: The Association for Molecular Pathology is proud to ... for Experimental Biology (FASEB) on July 1, 2013. The ... 3, 2013. , The 26 constituent societies of ... common vision for the advancement of research and education ... research is more important now than ever," said Jennifer ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 2NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 3NOAA, partners predict possible record-setting deadzone for Gulf of Mexico 4NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 2NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 3NIH to fund collaborations with industry to identify new uses for existing compounds 4
... Invasive species have hitchhiked to the U.S. on cargo ... on to keep them out is not equally effective across ... that ports on the East Coast and the Gulf of ... Coast. Invaders are frequently introduced across oceans and along ...
... chemical process developed by a team of Harvard researchers ... in creating real-time 3-D images of chemical process occurring ... Tobias Ritter, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, ... PET scans to peer into any number of functions ...
... research group from the University of Leeds has shown that ... in 10-20 per cent of the UK,s population, directly affects ... brain. Their findings are the first to demonstrate ... affect dopamine levels. Whilst the work has been ...
Cached Biology News:Coasts' best protection from bioinvaders falling short 2Tracing biological pathways 2Brain parasite directly alters brain chemistry 2
(Date:6/18/2013)... China Cord Blood Corporation (NYSE: CO ) ... blood collection, laboratory testing, hematopoietic stem cell processing, and ... financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ... Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2013 Highlights ... increased by 33.3% to RMB133.0 million ($21.4 million) from ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 18, 2013 (PRWEB) ... of construction’s #1 time and attendance system in ... transfer software that shares employee data and payroll ... , AccountLinx Plus automates ExakTime software ... applications. The software imports employee data from a ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... Demanding industrial and environmental conditions are no match ... Glass Ball Lenses, now available in an extensive range ... of Philadelphia , PA. , Optical Ball Lenses boost ... without the need for direct physical contact. That’s where ... make it the ideal choice for fiber-optic applications in ...
(Date:6/18/2013)... DuPont welcomes 48 of the nation’s finest ... AgriScience Teachers Ambassador Academy this week (NATAA) at the ... , The NATAA “Ag Academy” is a professional ... project of the National FFA Foundation and ... The highly recommended agriscience teachers, who are participating ...
Breaking Biology Technology:China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 2China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 3China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 4China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 5China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 6China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 7China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 8China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 9China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 10China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 11China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 12China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of Fiscal 2013 13ExakTime Introduces AccountLinx Plus 2Swiss Jewel Introduces the Crown Jewels of Fiber-Optic Connectors 2DuPont Sponsors National AgriScience Ambassador Academy 2DuPont Sponsors National AgriScience Ambassador Academy 3
... 2008 Researchers from Harvard University and the National Institutes ... repulsive quantum mechanical force that could be harnessed and tailored ... study, led by Federico Capasso, Robert L. Wallace Professor of ... (SEAS), will be published as the January 8 cover story ...
... DIEGO, Jan. 7 Volcano Corporation,(Nasdaq: VOLC ... of,products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and ... previously announced acquisition of,Axsun Technologies, Inc. , ... of lasers and optical,engines used in medical Optical Coherence ...
... - Victhom Human Bionics Inc.,"Victhom" (TSX: VHB), announced ... Forum in San Francisco, CA on January 13 ... Victhom,s Neurobionix division, will,be presenting on Tuesday, January ... Sir,Francis Drake Hotel at 450 Powell Street. Information ...
Cached Biology Technology:Researchers measure elusive repulsive force from quantum fluctuations 2Volcano Announces Closing of Axsun Technologies Acquisition 2Victhom to Participate in the OneMedPlace Finance Forum 2
... MasterAmp™ Taq DNA Polymerase is a ... aquaticus. Having optimal activity at temperatures ... thermostable enzyme used for PCR and ... purpose. The enzyme has an intrinsic ...
Rabbit anti Xanthine Oxidase Xanthine Oxidase, Bovine Buttermilk...
This CLS number is a new product number, created to easily match Cornings product number. If showing no availability yet, please order under the old Sigma-Aldrich number (E6027) or contact customer s...
... samples may be carried out using this high ... System control and data processing is provided by ... elegant, powerful and very easy to use software ... 2000., The supplied detector is the ground breaking ...
Biology Products: