Van Beek M E, Meistrich M L
Department of Experimental Radiotherapy, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
Biol Reprod. 1990 Mar;42(3):424-31. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod42.3.424.
Using a variation of a previously published method for manipulating vitamin A levels, we obtained synchronized rat testes and determined the frequency of stages of the seminiferous epithelium in each rat. In this study, we have demonstrated a method for quantitative analysis of the synchrony. The degree of synchronization was expressed as a fraction of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium, and thus in terms not influenced by the different durations of the stages of this cycle. The median stage about which the tubules were synchronized was calculated. This method may be used to compare the effects of different synchronizing treatments, which may be subtle, and to study various aspects of spermatogenesis in the synchronized testes. For example, the duration of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium in synchronized testes is estimated to be 12.5 days.
