Learned recognition of maternal signature odors mediates the first suckling episode in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Soon after birth, all mammals must initiate milk suckling to survive. In rodents, this innate behavior is critically dependent on uncharacterized maternally derived chemosensory ligands. Recently, the first pheromone sufficient to initiate suckling was isolated from the rabbit. Identification of the olfactory cues that trigger first suckling in the mouse would provide the means to determine the neural mechanisms that generate innate behavior.

Results

Here we use behavioral analysis, metabolomics, and calcium imaging of primary sensory neurons and find no evidence of ligands with intrinsic bioactivity, such as pheromones, acting to promote first suckling in the mouse. Instead, we find that the initiation of suckling is dependent on variable blends of maternal "sign

SUBMITTER: Logan DW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3494771 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature