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Updated: Sep 11, 2025
Determination of Reproductive Competence by Confirming Pubertal Onset and Performing a Fertility Assay in Mice and Rats
Published on: October 13, 2018
Fertility test of mice (Mus musculus)
Menglei Yang1, Mengmeng Ming1, Botao Yuan1
1Center for Reproduction and Genetics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Centre, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
This study presents a standardized protocol for assessing mouse fertility using daily vaginal plug checks and litter size tracking. This method ensures reliable results for reproductive biology research within two months.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Animal Models
- Genetics
Background:
- Infertility affects 8-12% of couples globally.
- Mouse models are crucial for studying gene function due to limited human sample access.
- Current natural mating observations in mice lack standardization, leading to inconsistent results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a comprehensive and standardized breeding strategy for evaluating murine fertility.
- To provide a reliable method for assessing gene function in reproductive biology.
- To overcome the limitations of current natural mating observation protocols.
Main Methods:
- Implementing standardized male-female pairing protocols.
- Conducting daily vaginal plug inspections.
- Performing longitudinal tracking of pregnancy outcomes and litter sizes.
Main Results:
- A straightforward and easily implementable protocol for mouse mating cage setup.
- Reliable fertility assessment under natural breeding conditions.
- A time-optimized workflow completing fertility phenotyping in 2 months.
Conclusions:
- The developed protocol offers a systematic approach to murine fertility assessment.
- This method enhances the reliability and efficiency of reproductive biology research using mouse models.
- The protocol facilitates accurate gene function studies and understanding of reproductive disorders.
