Abstract
Summary
Female rats treated with 10 μg of testosterone propionate (TP) on the 5th day of life had modified estrous cycles through day 72. Alteration of the cycle was predominantly shown by an increased frequency of cornined cells. By day 100 over 80% of the TP-treated females were in persistent vaginal estrus. Placing these females with males for 10 consecutive nights resulted in a sporadic pattern of sexual receptivity. Copulation caused a temporary break in the persistent vaginal cornification. Some of the rats became pregnant, but a high percentage of the pregnancies were terminated by resorption of fetuses. Those females which went to term gave birth to normal appearing young; none of the pregnant females mated after the second exposure. It is concluded that 10 μg of TP given on day 5 will not provide a reliable source of sterile female rats with nymphomania between the ages of 70 and 130 days.
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