Effets de l'isolement social pratiqué a la naissance et au sevrage sur le développement de l'appareil génital, la testostérone plasmatique et la fertilité de la souris mâle

Abstract

Male mice were placed in one of the following 5 types of rearing conditions: group I, 3 males and 3 females in cohabitation from birth to sacrifice; group II, without littermates from birth to sacrifice; group III, isolated from weaning to sacrifice; groups IV and V, males of groups II, III placed in cohabitation with 5 mature females, from 40-90 days. All animals were weaned at 20 days and sacrificed from 20-90 days. Plasma testosterone was radioimmunologically determined. Male mice reared in various types of social deprivation showed transient or definitive modifications in body, testicular and seminal vesicle weights as well as in plasma testosterone. Fertility was not affected. Mechanisms of these modifications are unknown.