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Comparative testis structure and function in three representative mice strains

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Abstract

Mice are widely used as experimental models due to several positive characteristics and in particular their suitability for studies involving molecular biology and transgenesis. Despite the large number of mice strains currently available, the literature regarding their basic reproductive biology is still relatively scarce. Herein, we comparatively evaluated several important and correlated parameters related to testis structure and function in sexually mature male mice of inbred (C57BL/6, n = 19; BALB/c, n = 17) and outbred (Swiss, n = 17) strains, frequently utilized in research. Swiss mice presented significant variation for many parameters evaluated, including higher sperm production, mainly when compared to the C57BL/6 strain. However, some key parameters such as the duration of spermatogenesis, the Sertoli cell number per testis, and the spermatogenic efficiency were similar among the different strains. Although presenting significantly higher Leydig cell (LC) proportion and numbers per testis gram and per testis, the anogenital index was smaller in Swiss mice. Estradiol levels were lower in C57BL/6, whereas testosterone levels and 3β-HSD expression were similar among strains. Regarding the LC/macrophages relationship, in comparison to the literature, we reported a much higher contribution of macrophages to the mouse intertubule. Thus, we estimated that there are around 1.6 macrophages per LC in BALB/c mice and this intriguing finding could be relevant to testis function in overall and spermatogonial biology in particular. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of knowing more accurately the testis structure and function in the different mice strains available for research, particularly when a specific testis parameter is being investigated.

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  • 02 January 2021

    The authors regret that in our published paper entitled “Comparative testis structure and function in three representative mice strains.”

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Acknowledgments

Technical assistance from Rubens Miranda, Adriano Ferreira, and Mara Lívia dos Santos is highly appreciated.

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  1. Carolina Felipe Alves de Oliveira and Nathalia de Lima e Martins Lara contributed equally to this work.

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  1. Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Carolina Felipe Alves de Oliveira, Nathalia de Lima e Martins Lara, Bárbara Ramalho Ladeira Cardoso, Luiz Renato de França & Gleide Fernandes de Avelar

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  1. Carolina Felipe Alves de Oliveira
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CFAO and NLML contributed equally to this manuscript by performing experiments, analyzing the data, and writing the paper. BRLC performed experiments and analyzed the data. LRF conceived the study and wrote and revised the paper final version. GFA conceived the study, performed experiments, analyzed the data, and wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Luiz Renato de França or Gleide Fernandes de Avelar.

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All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution at which the studies were conducted (Ethics Committee in Animal Experimentation of the Federal University of Minas Gerais—CETEA/ UFMG—Protocol no. 123/2013).

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This work was supported by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), and the Foundation for Research Support of Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG).

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de Oliveira, C.F.A., Lara, N.d., Cardoso, B.R.L. et al. Comparative testis structure and function in three representative mice strains. Cell Tissue Res 382, 391–404 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-020-03239-0

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