Cited by 734Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorHypothalamic control of reproductive hormonesNeuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Oxytocin is required for nursing but is not essential for parturition or reproductive behavior.

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Nishimori, K, Young, L J, Guo, Q, Wang, Z, Insel, T R, Matzuk, M M·1996·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Oxytocin, a neurohypophyseal hormone, has been traditionally considered essential for mammalian reproduction. In addition to uterine contractions during labor and milk ejection during nursing, oxytocin has been implicated in anterior pituitary function, paracrine effects in the testis and ovary and the neural control of maternal and sexual behaviors. To determine the essential role(s) of oxytocin in mammalian reproductive function, mice deficient in oxytocin have been generated using embryonic stem cell technology. A deletion of exon 1 encoding the oxytocin peptide was generated in embryonic stem cells at a high frequency and was successfully transmitted in the germ line. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA from homozygote offspring and in situ hybridization with an exonic probe 3' of the deletion failed to detect any oxytocin or neurophysin sequences, respectively, confirming that the mutation was a null mutation. Mice lacking oxytocin are both viable and fertile. Males do not have any reproductive behavioral or functional defects in the absence of oxytocin. Similarly, females lacking oxytocin have no obvious deficits in fertility or reproduction, including gestation and parturition. However, although oxytocin-deficient females demonstrate normal maternal behavior, all offspring die shortly after birth because of the dam's inability to nurse. Postpartum injections of oxytocin to the oxytocin deficient mothers restore milk ejection and rescue the offspring. Thus, despite the multiple reproductive activities that have been attributed to oxytocin, oxytocin plays an essential role only in milk ejection in the mouse.

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Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.93.21.11699

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Authors
Nishimori, K., Young, L. J., Guo, Q., Wang, Z., Insel, T. R., & Matzuk, M. M.
Affiliations
  • Baylor College of Medicine (US)
  • Emory University (US)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
1996-10-15
Volume
93
Issue
21
Pages
11699-11704
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2058688700
Cited by
734
References
39
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 15
FWCI
42.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (HD33438)
  • National Center for Research Resources (P51RR 00165, P51RR000165)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD 33438)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
Keywords
oxytocin, null mutations, milk ejection, nursing, childbirth, reproductive behavior, maternal behavior, fertility, uterine contraction, neurohypophyseal hormones, neurophysin
MeSH terms
Animals, Arginine Vasopressin, Cell Line, Exons, Female, Fertility, Heterozygote, Homozygote, Labor, Obstetric, Lactation, Male, Maternal Behavior, Oxytocin, Pregnancy, Radioligand Assay, Recombination, Genetic, Reproduction, Sex Characteristics, Stem Cells, Sequence Deletion, In Situ Hybridization, Receptors, Oxytocin, Mice, Knockout, Mice

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