Study on Expression Mechanisms of the Prolactin Receptor associated with Maternal Behavior

1.对雄性和雌性大鼠的母性行为诱导：当从未接触过幼鼠的完整、去势雄性或未生育雌性大鼠暴露于幼鼠时，这些大鼠最初表现出相对较低的母性行为水平。然而，母亲的行为显着诱导这些大鼠在日常暴露于寄养家庭。幼鼠接触可刺激完整、去势雄性和未育雌性大鼠脑内长型催乳素受体mRNA的表达，但对短型催乳素受体mRNA的表达无明显影响。这些大鼠中的血清催乳素浓度通过幼鼠接触而增加，与长型催乳素受体的brai mRNA表达水平和它们的母性行为评分相关。

1. Induction of maternal behavior on male and female rats.When intact, castrated male or nulliparous femal rats who had never contacted pups were exposed to rat pups, these rats initially showed relatively low levels of maternal behavior. However, maternal behavior was significantly induced in these rats during daily exposures to foster young.2. Gene expression for prolactin receptor in the brain of pup-contacted male and female rats and serum prolactin concentration.Pup contact stimulated the mRNA expression for long form prolactin receptor, but not for short form receptor in the brain of intact, castrated male and nilliparous female rats. The serum prolactin concentration in these rats was increased by pup contact, correlating with brai mRNA expression levels for long form prolactin receptor and their maternal behavior scores.