The musk shrew (Suncus murinus): A model species for studies of nutritional regulation of reproduction

Reproduction is the most energetically costly process that most female mammals ever undergo. When nutritional resources are scarce, and there is a high probability that females will be unable to cope with this energetic challenge, reproductive processes are inhibited. This process is highly conserved and likely adaptive and reversible when nutritional resources become available. Although the nutritional regulation of reproduction has been described in a number of species, the mechanism and neural sites of action by which this regulation occurs remain elusive. The musk shrew has proven to be a useful model to elucidate the peripheral cues and neuronal mechanisms that underlie nutritional infertility. Current knowledge of the nutritional regulation of reproduction is reviewed, with a focus on mammals. The advantages and disadvantages of using the musk shrew as an animal model for these types of studies are described.