The postnatal development of the pelage and ventral gland of the male gerbil

✍ Scribed by Audrey Feldman; Ormond G. Mitchell

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1968
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 1004 KB
• Volume: 125
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0362-2525
• DOI: 10.1002/jmor.1051250304

✦ Synopsis

The postnatal development of the pelage and ventral gland of male Mongolian gerbils ranging from newborn to 86 days of age was studied. The development of the gerbil pelage follows a pattern similar to that observed for other rodents. The length of the dorsal and ventral skin juvenile hair cycle was found to be 26 to 28 days with a 15 to 18 day anagen and a ten to 11 day catagen and telogen. Hair follicles in the ventral gland began growth ten days later than those of the general pelage and secondary follicles budded from the sides of primary follicles. The ventral gland area differed from the general pelage in that it lacked a panniculus carnosus. The ventral gland is a complex of pilosebaceous glands which, i n the adult, fill the entire hypodermis. The length and width of the pilosebaceous canals of the gland u n i t s are greater than those of the dorsum. The period of telogen of the hair follicles in the ventral gland is very short. The mid-ventral gland of the male gerbil appears to be a secondary sexual characteristic.