The number of ovulated ova in adult rats following gonadotrophin treatment was studied in relation to the hormonal dose and the season. In addition, the rate of ovulation from both ovaries and the percentage of abnormal ova after superovulation treatment were determined. A total 625 rats were used in the schedules of experiments, as shown in Fig. 1. The results obtained are as follows.
1) When rats were treated with 50 iu of HCG after pre-treatment with 10, 20, 30, 40, 30+20, 50, or 60 iu of PMS in July, 1964, the average number of ovulated ova was 17.9, 23.7, 31.7, 41.5, 41.9, 56.5, or 53.7, respectively. The number of ovulated ova averaged 53.0, and 55.3 in rats treated. with 50 iu of PMS and 25 iu of HCG and those treated with 50 iu of PMS and 100 iu of HCG, respectively, and 10.5 in untreated rats.
2) The average number of ovulated ova was as large as 29.5 to 36.0 and 40.3 to 56.5 in rats treated with 30 iu of PMS and 50 iu of HCG and in those treated with 50 iu of HCG, respectively during a period March to July. On the other hand, it was as small as 23.3 to 26.7 and 31.2 to 33.3 in rats treated with 30 iu of PMS and 50 iu of HCG and those treated with 50 iu of PMS and 50 iu of HCG, respectively, during a period from September to January. These results seem to suggest that there may be a seasonal variation in the number of ovulated ova in adult rats treated with gonadotrophins.
3) The ovulation rates of the left and right ovaries were examined in 140 ovulated rats and 195 rats treated either with 30 iu of PMS and 50 iu of HCG or with 50 iu of PMS and 50 iu of HCG. There were no differences in the number of ovulated ova between the left and right ovaries of adult rats following ovulation and superovulation.
4) In rats treated with 30 iu of PMS and 50 iu of HCG and those treated with 50 iu of PMS and 50 iu of HCG, the percentage of such abnormal ova as fragmented and immature ones to the total ovulated ova was 1.25% (73 of 5, 853 ova) and 1.23% (105 of 8, 509 ova), respectively.
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