skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


  • Home
  • Search Results
  • Page 1 of 1

Search for: All records

Creators/Authors contains: "McGowen, ed., Michael"

Note: When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
What is a DOI Number?

Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from this site.

  1. ; ; ; (, Journal of Mammalogy)
    Abstract In mammals, a temporary endocrine gland called the corpus luteum forms on the ovary shortly after ovulation and is required for the initiation and maintenance of early pregnancy. However, the corpus luteum persists even when fertilization or pregnancy does not occur, and species-specific variation in the length of this persistence remains enigmatic. Here we perform a comparative evolutionary study across 72 species and show that corpus luteum lifespan in nonpregnant females is positively correlated with gestation length. We argue that the most likely explanation for this correlation is physiological inertia. The corpus luteum begins secreting progesterone prior to implantation, and when pregnancy does not occur it takes time for females to degrade it and prepare the next reproductive cycle. Our study suggests that this physiological inertia is stronger in species with long gestation times. 
    more » « less