Hamster secretion

This implant containing live hamster cells was inserted into the spinal column of a patient for 17 weeks. After removal, the cells were still alive and secreting the hormone required to keep the patient healthy. 

In support of this contention, the carrier protein Aphrodisin makes an early appearance in vaginal secretions. In pre-pubertal hamsters, it thus indicates chemosensory preparation for the onset of female maturity (Magert, 1999). The proven ability of the AOS to modulate the CNS-pituitary-gonadal axis by advancing or retarding endocrine activity (Chap. 5), underlines its role as primarily the chemosensor of the reproductive system. The adaptive consequence of responses, which allows an avoidance of premature breeding, or of a postponement of puberty, would seem to be advantageous. 

Fig. 5.8(c) VN-x male hamsters and inhibition of T.-response induced by vaginal secretions, experienced and inexperienced Ss. (from Johnston, 1992). 

Hormonal influences may be limited to sexually relevant cues, since not all scent marks are socially relevant in all situations (Petrulis et al., 1995 and 1997). Chemoinvestigation by male hamsters of the female-indicator compound DMDS was independent of T. and did not differ from that of females. In contrast, the frequency of chemoinvestigation by castrates to vaginal secretion (containing DMDS) was enhanced by T. intact males investigated FHVS five times more than they do the females. 

Fischer R. and Brown P. (1993). Vaginal secretions increase the likelihood of inter-male aggression in Syrian hamsters. Physiol Behav 54, 213-214. 

Macrides F., Johnson P.A. and Schneider S.P. (1977). Responses of the male golden hamster to vaginal secretion and dimethyl disulfide attraction versus sexual behaviour. Behav Biol 20, 377-386. 

Johnston, R. E. (1975) Sexual excitation function of hamster vaginal secretion. Anim. Learn. Behav. 3, 161-6. 

Kwan, M. and Johnston, R. E. (1980) The role of vaginal secretion in hamster sexual behavior males responses to normal and vaginectomized females and their odors. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 94, 905-13. 

Powers, J. B., Fields, R. B. and Winans, S. S. (1979) Olfactory and vomeronasal system articipation in male hamsters attraction to female vaginal secretions. Physiol. Behav. 22, 77-84. 

Murphy, M. R. (1980) Sexual preferences of male hamsters importance of preweaning and adult experience, vaginal secretion, and olfactory or vomeronasal sensation. Behav. Neural Biol. 30, 323-340. 

Vasilieva, N. Y. (1994) Social cues influencing reproductive characteristics in Golden hamsters the role of male flank gland secretion, vaginal discharge and litter composition. Advances in the Biosciences 93, 317-323. 

A component of the vaginal secretion, dimethyl disulfide, was found to be the major sex attractant of the golden hamster [ 59 ]. Volatile alcohols, fatty acids and, interestingly, dimethyl trisulfide in the secretion do not appear to enhance the attractancy of the secretion [60]. However, proteins in the mass range of 15-16 kDa that are present in the vaginal secretion act as a mounting pheromone [61]. No comprehensive chemical characterization of the semiochemical secretions of golden hamsters has yet been undertaken. 

Table 2 Constituents of secretions of the ventral gland and supplementary sacculi (buccal secretion) of the dwarf hamster, Phodophus sungorus sungorus... 

Reft, M.E., Adams, K., and Anderson, D.R., Comparison of recombinant chimeric immunoglobulin secreted and purified from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and murine SP2/0 myeloma cells, in American Chemical Society Conference Recovery of Biological Products Vll, American Chemical Society, San Diego, CA, September 25-30, 1994, p. 26. 

---