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The long-term effects of superovulation on fertility and sexual behavior of male offspring in mice

  • Epigenetics
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term effects of superovulation on fertility and sexual behavior of male offspring in mice.

Method

The mice were superovaluted, and the fertility of male offspring (F1 generation and F2 generation) were evaluated in terms of the percentage of plugs and pregnancies, serum testosterone concentrations, and sperm motility. Furthermore, the sexual behavior of male offspring and sex ratio (F1 generation and F2 generation) were measured.

Results

There were no significant differences in the percentage of plug and pregnancies, serum testosterone concentrations, sperm motilities and sex ratio between the offspring in naturally conceived group and superovulation groups (both F1 generation and F2 generation). The sperm hyperactivity at 90 min after incubation of F1 generation in naturally conceived group were higher than that of F1 generation in superovulation group, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. The offspring produced by superovaluted oocytes (both F1 generation and F2 generation) did not exhibit significant alterations in sexual behavior.

Conclusions

No significant alterations were found in fertility and sexual behavior of male offspring in mice produced by superovaluted oocytes compared with those of naturally conceived offspring.

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Acknowledgement

We thank Dr. Mei Wang for the valuable comments on the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 105 Jiefang Road, Jinan, China, 250000

    Zeng-Tao Wei, Hua Li & Gui-Hua Jia

  2. Department of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 105 Jiefang Road, Jinan, China, 250000

    Xi-Lan Lu & Jun-Tao Li

  3. Department of Pain Management, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 105 Jiefang Road, Jinan, China, 250000

    Gang Zhang

  4. Operating Room of Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, 105 Jiefang Road, Jinan, China, 250000

    Jing Yu

  5. Department of Reproductive Medicine, Maternal and Child Health Care Center of Shandong Province, 238 Jingshi East Road, Jinan, China, 250000

    Jian-Min Zhang

Authors
  1. Zeng-Tao Wei
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  2. Xi-Lan Lu
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  3. Gang Zhang
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  4. Jing Yu
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  5. Hua Li
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  6. Gui-Hua Jia
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  7. Jun-Tao Li
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  8. Jian-Min Zhang
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Correspondence to Jian-Min Zhang.

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Capsule The effect of superovulation on fertility and sexual behavior of male offspring.

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Wei, ZT., Lu, XL., Zhang, G. et al. The long-term effects of superovulation on fertility and sexual behavior of male offspring in mice. J Assist Reprod Genet 31, 555–560 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0191-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0191-6

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