Strain differences in the spontaneous incidence of sperm morphological abnormalities in Hatano rats

Two inbred strains of Hatano rats, which had been bred selectively on the basis for shuttlebox avoidance responses (high- and low-avoidance animals; HAA and LAA), were different in sperm motility. We have found that there are strain differences in the spontaneous incidence of sperm morphological abnormalities. The percentages of abnormalities were extraordinarily higher in the LAA rats, whose sperm motility was lesser. Since the high sperm abnormality was an exceptional case in rats, these rats may be useful models for sperm quality.