Journal of Andrology Email Content Delivery
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Judd, J. E.
Right arrow Articles by Castro, A. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Judd, J. E.
Right arrow Articles by Castro, A. C.

Journal of Andrology, Vol 18, Issue 6 698-707, Copyright © 1997 by The American Society of Andrology

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Extragonadal sperm reserves, sperm-depletion rates, numbers of sperm per mating, and fertility with successive matings by intact or unilaterally vasectomized rats

J. E. Judd, W. E. Berndtson and A. C. Castro
Department of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham 03824, USA.

Because of the high rates of sperm production and large extragonadal sperm reserves of sexually rested male rats, mating trials are insensitive for detecting test-induced alterations in sperm production rates. Mating trials might be more sensitive if, independently of any experimental treatments under study, the number of sperm per mating was closer to the minimum requirements for normal fertility. The present study was undertaken to assess the impact of unilateral vasectomy and/or matings with up to three females in succession, for 1 hour each, on the number of sperm per mating and fertility, in comparison to corresponding values for males allowed unlimited matings with a receptive female overnight. Unilateral vasectomy did not affect sperm production, extragonadal sperm reserves, or removal of contralateral sperm during ejaculation (P > 0.05) but caused a 50% decrease in sperm numbers per mating. Sperm output, judged from numbers of residual extragonadal sperm in unmated and mated males, was excessive (290 x 10[6]) during conventional overnight mating with intact males and during the first and second hours of restricted mating (105 and 184 x 10(6) respectively, for intact males; one-half of these amounts for unilaterally vasectomized males). In contrast, sperm output during the third successive mating was minimal (nonmeasurable) but adequate, since pregnancy rates were similar for females mated first, second, or third in succession (P > 0.05). Since successive matings reduce the number of sperm per mating by natural methods, this approach may enhance the sensitivity of mating tests when applied for assessing the potential effects of experimental treatments on sperm production.




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1997 by The American Society of Andrology.