mortality/aging
• fertility decreases at 3 months of age (7 of 8 animals) and subsequently males become infertile
|
cellular
• decrease in undifferentiated spermatogonia
|
• number of germ cells is normal at 2 months but significantly decreased at 4 and 8-12 months
• progressive loss of germ cells both in degenerated and normal tubules
|
• sperm content in the epididymides is indistinguishable at 2 months but significantly reduced at 8 months
|
• at 10 months of age, an increase in apoptotic cells is seen in germ cells from the pachytene stages to secondary spermatocytes and in spermatids
• no difference in apoptotic cells in the testes at 2 months of age
|
reproductive system
N |
• females are reproductively normal
|
• decrease in undifferentiated spermatogonia
|
• number of germ cells is normal at 2 months but significantly decreased at 4 and 8-12 months
• progressive loss of germ cells both in degenerated and normal tubules
|
• sperm content in the epididymides is indistinguishable at 2 months but significantly reduced at 8 months
|
• at 10 months of age, an increase in apoptotic cells is seen in germ cells from the pachytene stages to secondary spermatocytes and in spermatids
• no difference in apoptotic cells in the testes at 2 months of age
|
• frequent occurrence of regions containing only elongating spermatids and stages lacking immature germ cells are also present
|
• increased abnormal regions of seminiferous tubules with age, in which the germ cell number was severely reduced
|
small testis
(
J:203917
)
• indistinguishable testes size at 1 month of age but significantly smaller at 8 months with no alteration of gross body size
|
• weights of testes gradually decrease with age (4-12 month age)
|
• fertility decreases at 3 months of age (7 of 8 animals) and subsequently males become infertile
|
endocrine/exocrine glands
• frequent occurrence of regions containing only elongating spermatids and stages lacking immature germ cells are also present
|
• increased abnormal regions of seminiferous tubules with age, in which the germ cell number was severely reduced
|
small testis
(
J:203917
)
• indistinguishable testes size at 1 month of age but significantly smaller at 8 months with no alteration of gross body size
|
• weights of testes gradually decrease with age (4-12 month age)
|