Ovariectomy and 17β-estradiol replacement in rats and mice: a visual demonstration.

Estrogens are a family of female sexual hormones with an exceptionally wide spectrum of effects. When rats and mice are used in estrogen research they are commonly ovariectomized in order to ablate the rapidly cycling hormone production, replacing the 17β-estradiol exogenously. There is, however, lack of consensus regarding how the hormone should be administered to obtain physiological serum concentrations.

Methods for 17β-oestradiol administration to rats.

Several studies indicate that the beneficial or harmful effects of oestrogens in stroke are dose-dependent. Rats are amongst the most frequently used animals in these studies, which calls for thoroughly validated methods for administering 17β-oestradiol to rats. In an earlier study we characterised three different administration methods for 17β-oestradiol over 42 days.