Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P01178 (oxytocin)
 15,767 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

An attempt was made to determine the importance of neurohypophyseal hormones for the emission of semen in rabbits. Arginine-vasopressin was used in a lower dose than by previous investigators. An analogue, de-amino-oxytocin (ODA 914) was included. Besides these peptides, arginine-v asotocin, the antidiuretic hormone in birds, was also used. This substance has been shown to be present in the pineal gland of the human fetus and may have a physiological function in animals. Teaser doe rabbits were ovariectomized 4 weeks before being used. 3 days before the experiments they were given 60 mcg of estradiol benzoate in arachis oil by sc injection. These injections were repeated every 3rd day during the experiments. Males, in 4 groups, received 1 of the hormones or saline iv every 2nd day until 15 injections had been given. About 30 seconds after each injection, a teaser doe rabbit was introduced and a sample of semen collected. The latency period from the time of introduction to the 1st ejaculation was timed with a stopwatch. Volume of ejaculate was measured and spermatozoa counted. The peptides injected had no effect on ejaculate volume. However, in those injected with vasotocin some difference was noted (p less than .05). Latency time was similar in all. Variations between individuals in ejaculate characteristics approached variations in differently treated rabbits. The number of spermatozoa was significantly increased only by arginine-vasopressin (p less than .05) for the 1st ejaculate. This is thought to be due to a conditioned response with release of neurohypophyseal hormones. It is concluded that vasopressin is the neurohypophyseal hormone which stimulates the release of spermatozoa in rabbits. The release of oxytocin during coitus may have other functions affecting male fertility.
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PMID:Neurophpophysial hormones and the emission of semen in rabbits. 120 23