Altered testicular cell type composition in males of two outbred mouse lines selected for high fertility.

Background: Recently we described two outbred mouse lines which have been selected for high fertility. These mouse models doubled the number of offspring per litter.

Objectives: Although selected for a primarily female-trait of high fertility (increased litter size), we were interested whether also males of the fertility lines show differences within their reproductive organs.

Testicular transcriptional signatures associated with high fertility.

Factors of high fertility are poorly described. The majority of transgenic or knockout models with a reproductive phenotype are subfertile or infertile phenotypes. Few genotypes have been linked to improved reproductive performance (0.

Selection for female traits of high fertility affects male reproductive performance and alters the testicular transcriptional profile.

Background: Many genes important for reproductive performance are shared by both sexes. However, fecundity indices are primarily based on female parameters such as litter size. We examined a fertility mouse line (FL2), which has a considerably increased number of offspring and a total litter weight of 180% compared to a randomly bred control line (Ctrl) after more than 170 generations of breeding.

Reproductive performance primarily depends on the female genotype in a two-factorial breeding experiment using high-fertility mouse lines.

Mouse models showing an improved fertility phenotype are barely described in the literature. In the present study, we further characterized two outbred mouse models that have been selected for the phenotype 'high fertility' for more than 177 generations (fertility lines (FL) 1 and 2). In order to delineate the impact of males and females on fertility parameters, we performed a two-factorial breeding experiment by mating males and females of the three different genotypes (FL1, FL2, unselected control (Ctrl)) in all 9 possible combinations.

In vivo microinjection and electroporation of mouse testis.

This video and article contribution gives a comprehensive description of microinjection and electroporation of mouse testis in vivo. This particular transfection technique for testicular mouse cells allows the study of unique processes in spermatogenesis. The following protocol focuses on transfection of testicular mouse cells with plasmid constructs.

High-fertility phenotypes: two outbred mouse models exhibit substantially different molecular and physiological strategies warranting improved fertility.

Animal models are valuable tools in fertility research. Worldwide, there are more than 400 transgenic or knockout mouse models available showing a reproductive phenotype; almost all of them exhibit an infertile or at least subfertile phenotype. By contrast, animal models revealing an improved fertility phenotype are barely described.