Embryonic development in many species, including case reports in humans, can be temporarily halted before implantation during a process called diapause. Facultative diapause occurs under conditions of maternal metabolic stress such as nursing. While molecular mechanisms of diapause have been studied, a natural inducing factor has yet to be identified. Here, we show that oxytocin induces embryonic diapause in mice. We show that gestational delays were triggered during nursing or optogenetic stimulation of oxytocin neurons simulating nursing patterns. Mouse blastocysts express oxytocin receptors, and oxytocin induced delayed implantation-like dispersion in cultured embryos. Last, oxytocin receptor-knockout embryos transferred into wild-type surrogates had low survival rates during diapause. Our results indicate that oxytocin coordinates timing of embryonic development with uterine progression through pregnancy, providing an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for ensuring successful reproduction.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11881891 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adt1763 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Analysis of influencing factors and establishment of prediction model for successful vaginal delivery after cesarean section.
Front Glob Womens Health
February 2025
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Objective: To explore the influencing factors of vaginal delivery after cesarean section, establish a predictive model, and identify potential factors for perinatal complications.
Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of women who attempted a trial of labor after cesarean section(TOLAC) at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University and subsequently gave birth in this hospital between 31 December 31 2017 and December 2023. Associations between maternal characteristics and success of TOLAC were assessed using univariate and logistic regression.
Infants in distress evoke strong emotional responses in adults, which help to elicit caretaking behaviors from parents to ensure infant needs are met1-3. However, neonatal care can also be challenging, and interactions with infants can lead to stress and negative affect even in potential caregivers4-7. Child neglect and maltreatment rates in human populations make it important to understand the neural mechanisms of regulating negative emotions and stress in the parental brain8-10.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOxytocin induces embryonic diapause.
Sci Adv
March 2025
Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
Embryonic development in many species, including case reports in humans, can be temporarily halted before implantation during a process called diapause. Facultative diapause occurs under conditions of maternal metabolic stress such as nursing. While molecular mechanisms of diapause have been studied, a natural inducing factor has yet to be identified.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeuropsychiatric complications including depression and cognitive impairment develop, persist, and worsen in the years after traumatic brain injury (TBI), negatively affecting life and lifespan. Inflammatory responses mediated by microglia are associated with the transition from acute to chronic neuroinflammation after TBI. Moreover, type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is a key mediator of inflammation during this transition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOxytocin enhances acquisition in a social trust task in mice, whereas both oxytocin and its antagonist block trust violation learning.
Neuropharmacology
February 2025
Laboratory of Biological Psychology, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, Leuven, Belgium.
The complex effects of the neurohormone oxytocin (OT) on socio-cognitive phenomena have recently been proposed to be complementary with safety learning, where a stimulus acquires safety-predicting properties when it predicts non-occurrence of an aversive event. OT may enhance salience of safety stimuli and promote positive social behavior, such as trust, by reducing anxiety and stress. Complementary, OT may reduce the ability to modulate previously learned behaviors based on new, contradicting information.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!