Early development in mice: I. Genotype and post-natal maternal effects.

The co-actions of genetic effects and the post-natal maternal rearing environment on the development of weight, 9 reflex responses, and survival have been tested by the cross-fostering method in two inbred mice strains--CBA/H and NZB. Pups of the two strains were not treated differentially by the mothers and experimental handling did not systematically affect pup development. Comparisons of unfostered, infostered, and cross-fostered pups show (1) in 16 cases out of 34, reflex development was affected by the pup strain, and in 10 cases out of 34 by the foster mother strain; (2) survival is only affected by the pup strain; (3) weight development is affected by strain of both the pup and the mother as well as their interactions. The adopted pups' scores were situated outside the range of the two non-adopted groups for certain reflexes as well as for weight. Two non-exclusive hypotheses are proposed: the mother strain can affect pup development (1) either through differences in stimulation provided by the mothers (2) or through differences in milk composition.