Figure 1
24-h changes in plasma prolactin levels in female lactating rabbits. Groups of 6–7 animals maintained with their litters or separated from them for 48 h were killed by decapitation on day 11 post-partum, at 6 different time points throughout a 24-h cycle, starting at 0900 h. The dark bar indicates scotophase duration. Results are the means ± SEM. Letters indicate the existence of significant differences between time points in each group after a one-way ANOVA followed by a Student-Newman-Keuls' test, as follows: ap < 0.05 vs. 09:00 and 17:00 h, bp < 0.01 vs. 09:00 h, p < 0.05 vs 05:00 h. For further statistical analysis, see text.
Figure 2
24-h changes in plasma FSH levels in female lactating rabbits. Groups of 6–7 animals maintained with their litters or separated from thrm for 48 h were killed by decapitation on day 11 post-partum, at 6 different time points throughout a 24-h cycle, starting at 0900 h. The dark bar indicates scotophase duration. Results are the means ± SEM. Asterisks indicate significance differences with control at that particular time interval (Student's t test, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01). Letters indicate the existence of significant differences between time points in each group after a one-way ANOVA followed by a Student-Newman-Keuls' test, as follows: ap < 0.01 vs. all remaining groups, bp < 0.05 vs. 17:00 h, cp < 0.01, vs 09:00, 13:00, 21:00 and 05:00 h, p < 0.05 vs. 17:00 h. For further statistical analysis, see text.
Figure 3
24-h changes in plasma LH levels in female lactating rabbits. Groups of 6–7 animals maintained with their litters or separated from them for 48 h were killed by decapitation on day 11 post-partum, at 6 different time points throughout a 24-h cycle, starting at 0900 h. The dark bar indicates scotophase duration. Results are the means ± SEM. Asterisks indicate significance differences with control at that particular time interval (Student's t test, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01). Letters indicate the existence of significant differences between time points in each group after a one-way ANOVA followed by a Student-Newman-Keuls' test, as follows: ap < 0.05 vs 21:00, 01:00 and 05:00 h, bp < 0.05, vs 05:00 h, cp < 0.01 vs. 09:00, 21:00, 01:00 and 05:00 h, dp < 0.05 vs. 21:00, 01:00 and 05:00 h. For further statistical analysis, see text.