SPECIFIC MILK PROTEINS ASSOCIATED WITH RESUMPTION OF DEVELOPMENT BY THE QUIESCENT BLASTOCYST OF THE LACTATING RED KANGAROO

Abstract

Summary. The milk of three lactating red kangaroos (Megaleia rufa, Desmarest) was sampled at regular intervals and the whey protein fraction of each sample was subjected to starch-gel electrophoresis. When the quiescent blastocyst resulting from post-partum mating resumed development, two new specific milk proteins appeared in the mammary secretion. It is suggested that anterior pituitary secretion is responsible for this phenomenon. It is suggested also that the appearance of these proteins in the milk may be useful for the diagnosis of resumed development by the quiescent blastocyst of the red kangaroo.