ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment → Animals

Scientists find first rodent with human-like menstruation cycle

It's good news for us, but perhaps not good news for the rodents.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
June 15, 2016
in Animals, Health, News
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

How much of our emissions come from agriculture?
Inactive oil wells are a big source of methane emissions
Star Trek holodeck-like imaging offers a whole new perspective on virtual reality
Foam produced during mating of tropical frogs could improve drug delivery through the skin

The spiny mouse could usher in a new generation of women reproductive studies. It’s good news for us, but perhaps not good news for the rodents.

Photo by Marcel Burkhard

Mice are a mainstay in biological studies, but when it comes to menstrual or female reproductive studies, there’s a big problem: mice don’t have a menstrual cycle. But now, scientists from the Monash University in Australia have found a species which defies this law: the spiny mouse.

“When you do science you’re not surprised at anything — but wow, this was a really interesting finding,” says Francesco DeMayo, a reproductive biologist at the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, who was not involved in the work.

The team found that the female mice averaged a 9-day menstrual cycle and spent three days — or 20 to 40 percent of their cycle — bleeding. This ratio is similar to that in women, who typically bleed for 15–35% of their 28-day cycle.

To come up with these figures, they flushed the animals’ vaginas with saline solution daily for 18 days. Then, to ensure that the procedure itself isn’t causing the bleeding, they did the same for five common lab mice. They also dissected uteri taken from four mice, each at a different stage in their menstrual cycle.

From strictly an animal biology point of view, the discovery is intriguing. Why did only one mouse species evolve a menstrual cycle? No one really knows at this point. But the main interest comes from human medicine. There’s a reason why we often conduct mice studies – because they’re simple creatures, and yet similar to humans in many regards.

What the Monash team found out now could usher in a new “guinea pig” for many experiments. It’s an unfortunate fate for the spiny mouse, but we may be able to learn a lot from it. Or I could simply be speculating; at this point, it’s simply not clear.

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Chemistry

A Simple Heat Hack Could Revolutionize How We Produce Yogurt

byMihai Andrei
4 hours ago
Future

Scientists Create a ‘Smart Sponge’ That Knows When to Heal and When to Fight Inflammation

byMihai Andrei
4 hours ago
News

The Race to the Bottom: Japan Is Set to Start Testing Deep-Sea Mining

byMihai Andrei
7 hours ago
News

Japan Just Smashed the Internet Speed World Record and It’s Much Faster Than You Think

byTudor Tarita
9 hours ago

Recent news

A Simple Heat Hack Could Revolutionize How We Produce Yogurt

July 18, 2025

Scientists Create a ‘Smart Sponge’ That Knows When to Heal and When to Fight Inflammation

July 18, 2025

The Race to the Bottom: Japan Is Set to Start Testing Deep-Sea Mining

July 18, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.