Endocrine morphology and reproductive function in athymic nude mice
Athymic BALB/c nude mice were reared and maintained in a specific pathogen-free (SPF) environment in order to assess the impact of genetic athymia on endocrine morphology and reproductive performance. Mice were killed at 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19 weeks of age. Kidneys, testes, ovaries, adrenals, thyroid, and submaxillary gland were processed for histology. Plasma content of estradiol (females) and testosterone (males) was determined. Plasma levels of estradiol and testosterone were comparable in nude and normal mice. The morphology of the ovaries of nude females was similar to normal females although fewer nude females (42%) had corpora lutea at 8 weeks than normal females (84%). Degeneration of the adrenal x-zone was slightly retarded in nude females. The thyroid gland was normal in nude mice; age related changes were observed in both phenotypes. Sexual dimorphism was observed in the morphology of the kidney and submaxillary glands in nude males. The appearance of these dimorphic characteristics corresponded with the appearance of mature spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules of the testes (8 weeks). Male and female nude mice were fertile, however, the survival of young to weaning was less in litters from nude females (28%) than from normal females (42%). These results suggest that abnormalities in endocrine morphology and reproductive performance are less severe in nude mice reared and maintained in SPF environment than those reported by other investigators.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG=26
- OSTI ID:
- 6009542
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-790922-2
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Workshop on nude mice, Bozeman, MT, USA, 6 Sep 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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