Topic: prairie voles

Although oxytocin (Oxt) is expressed in a highly conserved neuroanatomical pattern among vertebrates, brain OXT receptor (Oxtr) distribution is highly variable across species and associated with species-typical social behavior. Genetic mechanisms leading to diversity in brain Oxtr expression, and a causal link between brain Oxtr expression and social behaviors have not been demonstrated. Monogamous prairie voles and promiscuous mice have different brain Oxtr distribution. Here, eight independent “volized” transgenic prairie vole-Oxtr (pvOxtr) mouse lines were created carrying the Oxtr locus wi