Background. The molecular components determining the timing for birth remain an incompletely characterized aspect of reproduction, with important conceptual and therapeutic ramifications for management of preterm, post-term and arrested labor. Methodology/Principal Findings. To test the hypothesis that oxytocin mediates circadian regulation of birth, we evaluated parturition timing following shifts in light cycles in oxytocin (OT)-deficient mice. We find that, in contrast to wild type mice that do not shift the timing of birth following a 6-h advance or delay in the light cycle, OT-deficient mice delivered at random times of day. Moreover, shifts in the light-dark cycle of gravid wild type mice have little impact on the pattern of circadian oxytocin release. Conclusions/Significance. Our results demonstrate oxytocin plays a critical role in minimizing labor disruption due to circadian clock resetting. © 2007 Roizen et al.
CITATION STYLE
Roizen, J., Luedke, C. E., Herzog, E. D., & Muglia, L. J. (2007). Oxytocin in the circadian timing of birth. PLoS ONE, 2(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0000922
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