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SIGNIFICANCE OF INCORPORATING MEASURES OF SPERM PRODUCTION AND FUNCTION INTO RAT TOXICOLOGY STUDIES
Citation:
PERREAULT, S. D. AND A. CANCEL. SIGNIFICANCE OF INCORPORATING MEASURES OF SPERM PRODUCTION AND FUNCTION INTO RAT TOXICOLOGY STUDIES. REPRODUCTION 121(2):207-216, (2001).
Description:
The rat is the preferred species for reproductive toxicity testing. The inclusion of measures of rat sperm quality, such as motility and morphology, into reproductive test protocols often increases the sensitivity of the test to detect effects, and provides the toxicologist and risk assessor with valuable information about the nature of the reproductive toxicity of the test substance. Technical advances in computer-aided sperm analysis have made it possible to evaluate sperm motion characteristics in the rat. This technology can provide an objective means of classifying the motion of rat spermatozoa as progressive or non-progressive, as required in test protocols. More specific tests of rat sperm function are being applied for the purpose of evaluating modes and mechanisms of toxicant action. Computer-aided sperm analysis can be used to evaluate sperm motion during cultures that support sperm capacitation and to identify hyperactivated sperm. Under the same culture conditions, acrosome-specific stains can be used to identify effects of toxicants on acrosome reaction. These approaches, in combination with rat in vitro fertilization, can pinpoint sperm functional deficits and thereby assist the toxicologist in addressing hypotheses regarding the cellular/molecular bases of toxicant-induced male infertility.