Lee-Boot Effect

A female s estrus cycle is suppressed concomitant with simultaneous pseudopregnancy development when four or more females are put together in a absence of a male. Pandey and Pandey (343,347) concluded that the clitoral gland does not play any role in the production of the pheromone which suppresses the estrus cycles in other females and that the pheromone is thus associated directly or indirectly with ovarian hormones. 

Recently McClintock (375) showed that preovulatory pheromone from female rats shortened or phase advanced the ovarian cycles, whereas ovulatory odors lengthened or phase-delayed the cycle of females. 

---

Ma W., Miao Z. and Novotny M. (1998). Role of the adrenal gland and adrenal-mediated chemosignals in suppression of estrus in the house mouse the Lee-Boot effect revisited. Biol Reprod 59, 1317-1320. 

The list of pheromone controls on reproductive behavior can be extended female pheromones inhibit estrus in adult females and delay puberty in juvenile females, Lee-Boot effect male pheromones can block pregnancy, Bruce effect pheromones from dominant females can suppress reproduction in subordinate females and so on. Have a look at Wyatt s book for an abundance of examples. 

Lee-Boot effect inhibition of estrus in adult females or delay of puberty in juvenile females by female pheromones. 

Ma, W., Miao, Z. Novotny, M. 1998b. Role of the mouse adrenal gland and its mediated chemosignals in estrus suppression, the Lee-Boot effect revisited. Biol. Reprod. in press. 

In grouped female mice ovulation and estrus are suppressed (Champlin, 1971) and pseudopregnancies occur (van der Lee and Boot, 1955). The odor of crowded female mice (eight per cage) inhibited ovulation in other females. The hormonal control of this effect has been difficult to explain. Early studies indicated that ovariectomized mice were not able to inhibit other females but in other studies, ovariectomized females still inhibited estrus in other females (Marchlewska-Koj, 1990). 

---