All Phenotypes Selenop<tm2Rfb> MGI Mouse

increased susceptibility to induced morbidity/mortality ( J:121127 )

• mice die of neurological dysfunctions within 30 days of weaning to a selenium deficient diet

• the survival curve is significantly longer than Sepp1^tm1Rfb mice on a selenium deficient diet

• only 5% of the pups survive from mutant males mating with wild-type females compared to 50% survival of pups from wild-type matings

impaired righting response ( J:121127 )

• is observed in some mice on a selenium deficient diet

tremors ( J:121127 )

• fine tremors are observed in some mice 2-3 weeks after weaning onto a selenium deficient diet

hyperactivity ( J:121127 )

• is observed in mice on a selenium deficient diet and occurs ussually 2-3 days before death

abnormal selenium level ( J:121127 )

• selenium plasma levels are 5-fold lower than in wild-type controls

• brain and testis concentrations of selenium are drastically decreased regardless of concentrations of selenium in the diet

• kidney and liver concentrations have slight decreases depending on amount of selenium in the diet

abnormal sperm flagellum morphology ( J:121127 )

abnormal sperm midpiece morphology ( J:121127 )

• the flagellum of spermatozoa from the caput epididymidis display an abrupt narrowing of the posterior midpiece that reflects a premature truncation of the mitochondrial sheath

decreased sperm mitochondrial sheath size ( J:121127 )

• premature truncation of the mitochondrial sheath

hairpin sperm flagellum ( J:121127 )

• most spermatozoa from the cauda region of the epididymis have hairpin bends at the midpiece-principal piece junction

• however, spermatozoa that maintain an extended flagellum still show the gap region in the posterior midpiece

decreased litter size ( J:121127 )

• the number of live progeny resulting from mutant males mating with wild-type females is 63% of the number resulting from matings of wild-type mice

reduced male fertility ( J:121127 )

• males mating with wild-type females result in 69% less pregnancies than control matings