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Mice without a Functional Relaxin Gene Are Unable to Deliver Milk to Their Pups**This work was supported by an institute block grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (983001) and in part by a WHO Research Training Fellowship and a University of Melbourne Postgraduate Research Scholarship (to L.Z.).

Mice without a Functional Relaxin Gene Are Unable to Deliver Milk to Their Pups**This work was... AbstractWe have used gene targeting to generate relaxin (rlx)-deficient mice. The majority (15 of 17) of homozygous (rlx−/−) mice are fertile and produce normal litters. However their mammary development is deficient; pups are unable to suckle and die within 24 h of birth unless cross-fostered to a wild-type (rlx+/+) foster mother. The nipples of rlx−/− animals do not enlarge significantly during pregnancy, and their histology retains the appearance of the virgin state. Breast parenchyma is somewhat underdeveloped at term even though milk is produced. Mammary ducts become grossly dilated in these animals. Heterozygous (rlx+/−) mice lactate normally.The interpubic ligament does not relax during pregnancy in rlx−/− mice. Plasma osmolality during late gestation was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in rlx−/− mice than in wild-type controls. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Endocrinology Oxford University Press

Mice without a Functional Relaxin Gene Are Unable to Deliver Milk to Their Pups**This work was supported by an institute block grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (983001) and in part by a WHO Research Training Fellowship and a University of Melbourne Postgraduate Research Scholarship (to L.Z.).

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References (53)

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 by The Endocrine Society
ISSN
0013-7227
eISSN
1945-7170
DOI
10.1210/endo.140.1.6404
pmid
9886856
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AbstractWe have used gene targeting to generate relaxin (rlx)-deficient mice. The majority (15 of 17) of homozygous (rlx−/−) mice are fertile and produce normal litters. However their mammary development is deficient; pups are unable to suckle and die within 24 h of birth unless cross-fostered to a wild-type (rlx+/+) foster mother. The nipples of rlx−/− animals do not enlarge significantly during pregnancy, and their histology retains the appearance of the virgin state. Breast parenchyma is somewhat underdeveloped at term even though milk is produced. Mammary ducts become grossly dilated in these animals. Heterozygous (rlx+/−) mice lactate normally.The interpubic ligament does not relax during pregnancy in rlx−/− mice. Plasma osmolality during late gestation was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in rlx−/− mice than in wild-type controls.

Journal

Endocrinology – Oxford University Press

Published: Jan 1, 1999

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