Table 1.
Experimental groups and procedure timeline for evaluation of the effect of increased litter size and suckling intensity on the relative expression of KiSS-1 gene in the rat (n=4)
| Groups | Litter size | Suckling before the dams killing on day 8 |
|---|---|---|
|
| ||
| Control | 0 | No suckling |
|
| ||
| 1 | 5 | Continuous |
| 2 | 10 | Continuous |
| 3 | 15 | Continuous |
| 4 | 5 | 6 hr separation, 2.5 min suckling |
| 5 | 5 | 6 hr separation, 5 min suckling |
| 6 | 5 | 6 hr separation, 7.5 min suckling |
| 7 | 10 | 6 hr separation, 5 min suckling |
| 8 | 15 | 6 hr separation, 5 min suckling |