Involvement of the circadian system in photoperiodic control of pubertal development in female deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus

Pubertal development in female deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus, was stimulated by exposure to light cycles of LD 16:8, LD 6:30 or LD 6:54, but not by exposure to cycles of LD 6:18 or LD 6:42. These results support the hypothesis that female deer mice use a circadian rhythm of responsiveness to light to measure photoperiodic time.     

Involvement of circadian system in photoperiodic control of pubertal development in female deer mice,Peromyscus maniculatus

Summary Pubertal development in female deer mice,Peromyscus maniculatus, was stimulated by exposure to light cycles of LD 168, LD 630 or LD 654, but not by exposure to cycles of LD 618 or LD 642. These results support the hypothesis that female deer mice use a circadian rhythm of responsiveness to light to measure photoperiodic time.This investigation was supported in part by National Science Foundation Grant PCM 8116880 and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Grant CR809428010. H.U. is the recipient of Research Ca-reer Development Award 5 KO4 HD00276-02 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.