@misc{10481/69006,
year = {2021},
url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10481/69006},
abstract = {Most mammalian species of the temperate zones of the Earth reproduce seasonally, existing
a non-breeding period in which the gonads of both sexes undergo functional regression. It is widely
accepted that photoperiod is the principal environmental cue controlling these seasonal changes,
although several exceptions have been described in other mammalian species in which breeding
depends on cues such as food or water availability. We studied the circannual reproductive cycle in
males of the Mediterranean pine vole, Microtus duodecimcostatus, in the Southeastern Iberian Peninsula.
Morphological, hormonal, functional, molecular and transcriptomic analyses were performed. As
reported for populations of other species from the same geographic area, male voles captured in
wastelands underwent seasonal testis regression in summer whereas, surprisingly, those living either
in close poplar plantations or in our animal house reproduced throughout the year, showing that it is
the microenvironment of a particular vole subpopulation what determines its reproductive status and
that these animals are pure opportunistic, photoperiod-independent breeders. In addition, we show
that several molecular pathways, including MAPK, are deregulated and that the testicular “immune
privilege” is lost in the inactive testes, providing novel mechanisms linking seasonal testosterone
reduction and testis regression.},
organization = {Spanish Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e
Innovación, grant number CGL-2015-67108-P},
organization = {Junta de Andalucía, grant number BIO109},
publisher = {MDPI},
keywords = {Seasonal breeding},
keywords = {Testis regression},
keywords = {Microtus duodecimcostatus},
keywords = {Opportunistic breeding},
title = {Mediterranean Pine Vole, Microtus duodecimcostatus: A Paradigm of an Opportunistic Breeder},
doi = {10.3390/ani11061639},
author = {Lao Pérez, Miguel and Mohamed Mahmoud Massoud, Diaa Fawzi and Real, Francisca M. and Hurtado, Alicia and Ortega Sánchez, Esperanza and Burgos Poyatos, Miguel and Jiménez Medina, Rafael and Barrionuevo Jiménez, Francisco Javier},
}