SGER: Pheromonal Induction of Estrus and Ovulation in a Marsupial

大多数动物物种都严格控制着固有的生殖周期，这些周期受一年中的时间或食物的可获得性等因素控制。然而，在一些物种中，生殖功能是由非语言的物理线索所支配的，例如化学引诱剂或信息素。这些化学物质提供了有关潜在配偶生殖状况的信息，并可能在某些物种中引发生殖循环。约翰·哈德博士正在一个完全依赖化学信号的模型系统中，研究信息素暴露对生殖、激素和神经生物学的影响。这些令人兴奋的研究将推动比较生殖生物学的发展，并为研究神经元底物上的化学激活提供一个独特的模型。此外，这些调查将对我们对野生动物繁殖策略多样性的了解产生重大影响，并可能有助于将这种了解应用于野生和圈养物种的保护。

The majority of species of animals have tightly regulated intrinsic reproductive cycles that are governed by such things as the time of the year or the availability of food. However, in some species reproductive function is governed by non-verbal physical cues, such as chemical attractants or pheromones. These chemicals provide information about the reproductive status of potential mates and may trigger reproductive cyclicity in some species. Dr. John Harder is investigating the reproductive, hormonal and neurobiological consequences of pheromone exposure in a model system completely dependent on chemical signaling. These exciting investigations will advance comparative reproductive biology and provide a unique model for the study of chemical activation on neuronal substrates. In addition, these investigations will have a significant impact on our understanding of the diversity of reproductive strategies used in wild animals and may facilitate the application of that understanding to the preservation of species in the wild and in captivity.