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Wild Fulvous Fruit Bats (Rousettus leschenaulti) Exhibit Human-Like Menstrual Cycle¹

State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Biology,⁵ Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,⁶ Beijing 100039, China School of Biological Sciences,⁸ University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, United Kingdom Department of Biology,⁷ Hainan Normal University, Hainan 571158, China School of Life Science,⁹ East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China

ABSTRACT

We investigated the menstrual cycle of wild fulvous fruit bats (Rousettus leschenaulti), focusing on changes in the endometrial and ovarian structure and pituitary and steroid hormones. The menstrual cycle lasts for 33 days in bats studied in their natural habitat and in captivity. Vaginal bleeding was restricted to a single day (Day 1). A preovulatory follicle was found in the ovary on Day 18 when the levels of LH and FSH reached their maxima, accompanied by a thickened endometrium. On Day 24, serum levels of progesterone and estradiol-17 were also maximal, and uterine glands increased in size. After that, the levels of progesterone dropped precipitously, leading to menstrual bleeding. Both the morphologic and hormonal changes observed in fulvous fruit bats during the menstrual cycle resemble similar changes in humans. Fulvous fruit bats may be useful nonprimate laboratory models to study menstruation and menstrual dysfunction.

endometrium,, fulvous fruit bat,, hormone,, menstrual cycle,, ovary

¹Supported by the 973 program (2006CB504006, 2006CB944008) to H.W. and grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30430120) and the East China Normal University to S.Z. Portions of this work were presented at the 40th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, San Antonio, Texas, July 21–25, 2007.

Correspondence: ²Hongmei Wang, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 25 Beisihuan Xilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100080, China. FAX: 86 10 6480 7187; e-mail: wanghm{at}ioz.ac.cn

Correspondence: ³Shuyi Zhang, School of Life Science, East China Normal University, 3663 Zhongshan North Rd., Shanghai 200062, China. FAX: 86 21 6223 3786; e-mail: syzhang{at}bio.ecnu.edu.cn

Correspondence: ⁴Yuchun Li, Hainan Normal University, Hainan 571158, China. FAX: 86 898 6658 92372; e-mail: li_yuchun{at}hotmail.com