SOME FACTORS AFFECTING THE RESPONSE OF THE IMMATURE MOUSE TO PREGNANT MARE SERUM GONADOTROPHIN AND HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPHIN

Abstract

SUMMARY Deprivation of food for 24–48 hr. before the injection of gonadotrophin into mice reduced mean uterine weights and the slopes of the dose-response lines; the effect was greater with human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) than with pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin. Age and time of weaning relative to the injection of gonadotrophin, and the number of experimental mice per cage, also affected the uterine weight response. Age and weight influenced the number of ovulations after injections of HCG. Fasting for 48 hr. before the priming injection reduced numbers of ovulations as compared with a restricted diet or fasting for 48 hr. after priming. The time of day of the priming and ovulatory injections influenced the number of ovulations, injections in the afternoon resulting in more ova than injections in the morning.