The length of the fertility period of the rat spermatozoa
Al Satli, M.
Comptes Rendus des Seances de la Societe de Biologie et de ses Filiales 171(4): 918-922
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-9026 PMID: 145303 Document Number: 117631
76 female rats with 4 day cycles were used to study the length in time of the fertilizing power of rat spermatozoa. The females were exposed to the males at 6-7 p.m. on proestrus, and at 9.30-10.30 p.m. the following day. 16 out of 17 bulbectomized females, and 16 out of 40 intact females mated during the 1st period, and 22 out of 24 intact females mated during the 2nd period. 11 females became pregnant in the first group, and 14 in the 2nd group. Since ovulation in female rats does not take place before midnight during the night from proestrus to estrus, it is probable that the fertilizing capacity of the rat spermatozoa is of a rather short duration.