PERINATAL DETERMINANTS OF DEVELOPMENT

本项目的总体目标是了解 哺乳动物繁殖和发育的季节性节律。 具体地说，我建议确定母亲的 光周期历史影响其后代的发育，并且 来描述潜在的季节性社会行为的发展 生育力的变化。模式物种--草甸田鼠(Microtus Pennsylvanicus)，之所以被选中，是因为对其有广泛的了解 作为实验实验室假设基础的自然历史 分析。 越来越多的研究表明，水坝传递光周期 给胎儿的信息，以及这些信息对新生儿的影响 发展。草甸田鼠水坝能够孕育胎儿 在出生前和出生后将信息传递给他们的后代。此外， 母亲在短时间内的时间长度(无论她是否还在 对短日照敏感或已变得耐光性) 受孕会影响其后代出生前后的发育。 母体光周期史对子代的传递 据推测，这使得它们能够适当地发育，以适应它们 出生。本项目研究的是母体(S)的作用机制 光周期信息传递及光周期的影响 社会行为发展史。 具体目标包括：1)划定母婴的控制范围 收缩时间作为幼体体温调节能力的函数 受母体光周期史的影响。2)确定角色 褪黑素在光周期信息传递中的作用 通过测量、拆除和替换，在水坝和它的后代之间 实验。3)测定母体光周期效应 配偶的历史、当前光周期和年龄对交配行为和 控制人口的令人痛苦的/咄咄逼人的社会互动 生育能力。 成功完成拟议的项目将加强我们的 对母体和幼体的机制的理解导致 生理和社会发育存在显著的季节差异。 越来越多的数据表明，人类也受到 无论是新生儿还是成年人，季节都在变化。的推论 从草甸田鼠到其他短命啮齿动物的数据是可信的，而且 在人类身上运行类似机制的可能性必须是 乐在其中。最终，季节性对发育的影响，由 人类母亲，可能会被证明与其他 环境因素，如营养充足。

The overall goal of this project is to understand the mechanisms of seasonal rhythms in reproduction and development of mammals. Specifically, I propose to determine the mechanisms by which the mother's photoperiodic history influences the development of her offspring, and to describe the development of social behaviors underlying seasonal variations in fertility. The model species, the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), was chosen because there is extensive knowledge of its natural history upon which to base hypotheses for experimental laboratory analysis. A growing body of research indicates that dams communicate photoperiod information to their fetuses and this information influences neonatal development. Meadow vole dams are capable of fetuses and this information to their offspring pre- and postnatally. Additionally, the length of time the mother has been in short days (whether she is still sensitive to short daylengths or has become photorefractory) prior to impregnation influences development of her offspring pre-and postnatally. Communication of maternal photoperiodic history to the offspring presumably allows them to develop appropriately for the season of their birth. This project addresses the mechanism(s) of the maternal photoperiodic information transfer and the influence of photoperiod history on development of social behaviors. Specific aims include: 1) Delineation of the control of maternal-litter contract time as a function of pup thermoregulatory abilities which are influenced by the maternal photoperiodic history. 2) Determining the role of melatonin in communicating information about photoperiodic history between the dam and her offspring by measurement, removal and replacement experiments. 3) Determining the effect of maternal photoperiodic history, current photoperiod, and age of partner on mating behavior and afflictive/aggressive social interactions that control population fertility. Successful completion of the proposed projects will enhanced our understanding of mechanisms in the mothers and pups that result in significant seasonal differences in physiological and social development. A growing body of data demonstrates that humans are also affected by the changing seasons both neonatally and as adults. The extrapolation of data from meadow voles to other short-lived rodents is plausible, and the possibility of similar mechanisms operating in humans must be entertained. Ultimately seasonal effects on development, directed by the human mother, may prove to be important in conjunction with other environmental factors such as adequacy of nutrition.