Document Detail


Comparison of male reproductive parameters in three rat strains: Dark Agouti, Sprague-Dawley and Wistar.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  10759369     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The choice of experimental animal can have a large impact on experimental results, an example is the anecdotal evidence suggesting that Dark Agouti (DA) rats have a lower reproductive capacity than other rat strains. In this paper we report on an investigation into male reproductive characteristics in three rat strains--Wistar, Sprague-Dawley (outbred strains) and DA (an inbred strain). Reproductive organ weights, blood testosterone levels and sperm counts were measured in mature age-matched male rats. DA animals had significantly smaller testis weights than the Sprague-Dawley and Wistar animals, and this did not appear to be related to the overall smaller body mass of the DAs. There were no differences between the three strains in testicular histology or sperm counts (per gram testis). Although there was also no significant difference in epididymal sperm count, the DA animals had a much greater variability in sperm count than the other strains. There were no differences in relative (to body weight) epididymal, seminal vesicle or ventral prostate weights or in the blood testosterone levels. These results suggest that differences in reproductive capacity in DAs are neither the result of morphological differences in the reproductive organs nor in circulating testosterone levels. Sperm production appears to be normal but the lowered testicular weight and variability in epididymal sperm counts suggests that there are other factors in the testicular or epididymal environment which alter male reproductive function.
Authors:
J M Wilkinson; S Halley; P A Towers
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Laboratory animals     Volume:  34     ISSN:  0023-6772     ISO Abbreviation:  Lab. Anim.     Publication Date:  2000 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2000-05-03     Completed Date:  2000-05-03     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0112725     Medline TA:  Lab Anim     Country:  ENGLAND    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  70-5     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. jwilkinson@csu.edu.au
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Male
Organ Size
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley / physiology*
Rats, Wistar / physiology*
Reproduction / physiology*
Species Specificity
Sperm Count
Testosterone / blood
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
58-22-0/Testosterone

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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