Figure 4.

Increased body weight advances the timing of puberty in female mice born and raised under a short-day photoperiod (SP). (A,D,G) Graphs showing the percentages of females from regular control litters compared to females from small litters that exhibited vaginal opening (A), first estrus (D), and the first occurrence of an estrous cycle of typical duration [(G) n = 13/16 per group]. (B,E,H) Average time required for females to exhibit vaginal opening (B), first estrus (E), and the onset of estrous cyclicity (H). (C,F,I,J). Body weight of females from regular and small litters at specific stages of sexual maturation and during development (J). (K) Uterine mass of adult females from regular litters and small litters (n = 4/6 per group). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.005 vs females from regular control litter.