[in Japanese]

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Serological and biological characteristics of rabbit antiserum to ovine follicle stimulating hormone (NIH-FSH-S₃) were studied. Serological characteristics were examined by the methods of agar gel double diffusion, agar immunoelectrophoresis and passive hemagglutination reaction.
Precipitin bands were developed in agar gel double diffusion plate when unabsorbed antiserum to FSH reacted with sheep serum and extracts of liver, spleen, brain, pituitary and muscle. After absorption of the antiserum with sheep serum and liver, however, positive reaction occu-rred only for the extract of pituitary.
As for the reaction of antiserum with ovine anterior pituitary hormones, unabsorbed anti-serum revealed precipitin bands when it reacted with FSH, luteinizing hormone (LH) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). After absorption of antiserum with sheep serum and liver, two precipitin bands developed only for FSH.
This antiserum was found serologically specific to ovine FSH in agar gel double diffusion method. However, the antiserum still showed positive reaction to LH and TSH in passive hemagglutination test as well as to FSH, it was further absorbed with LH preparation, and the antibodies to LH and TSH were removed.
After absorption with LH, the antiserum obtained was serologically specific to ovine FSH in passive hemagglutination reaction. Only one precipitin band appeared in the plates of agar gel double diffusion and immunoelectrophoresis when the antiserum reacted with FSH.
Absorbed antiserum inhibited the biological effect of ovine FSH on the ovaries of assay rats.

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Surface ultrastracture has been studied in rat ova at early stages of fertilization after natural mating, comparing with the results of phase contrast microscopy.
The ova were recovered 5 : 00 to 9 : 30 hours of estrus rat mated at 24 : 00 in proestrus. The ova were fixed for 90120 min. at room temperature (1820°C) in 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution buffered to pH 7.4 with 2 M Na₂HPO₄ and NaH₂PO₄ (1 : 1) and then immersed in 13% sucrose solution. The ova were washed 3 times in distilled water and then treated with 60% and 70% alcohol. The eggs were mounted on brass cylinder and dryed in room temperature.
An information obtained with the scanning electron microscope is unobtainable by other methods.
An effective depth and many microvilli can be seen on surface of rat ovum in zona free (Fig. 1).
The process of sperm penetration into ooplasma was observed and sperm head attached to surface of ovum, intiating membrane fusion of anterior of the post-nuclear cap region to microvilli (Fig. 2-A. B.).
Also, specific mode of incorporation of sperm tail was observed (Fig. 2-C. D.). The present photomicrographs confirm the conclusion for entry of sperm head drawn from transmisson electron microscopy.

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Sex ratio in rats, especially their total and seasonal changes, were studied with 6, 155 animals of the Wistar-Imamichi strain. Data were collected over a period from December, 1970 to February, 1972. Analysis on sex ratio was performed by the same method as described in the previous report for the determination of sex ratio in swine²⁾. The classes which showed a shift of sex ratio to either sex were cited mainly in tables. The results obtained are summarized as follows.
In a total, the sex ratio was 49.8 (male percent) and insignificant. Shifts of sex ratio were seen in the monthly sex ratios, both primary and secondary. There was no shift in the seasonal secondary sex ratio. In the primary sex ratio, however, a shift to female was seen in winter. There was a shift of sex ratio to female in the first winter (from December, 1970 to February, 1971) of the present investigation. No shift of sex ratio to either sex was recognized in the next winter (from December, 1971 to February, 1972). Taking the results mentioned in the previous report¹⁾ into consideration, the sex ratio for the three winters as a whole exhibited a shift to female.

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Three mares suffering from chronic endometritis during the last 34 years were treated with uterine curettage. The clinical, histological and endoscopical observations of the endometrium were carried out before and after uterine curettage in these animals.
The results obtained were as follows:
1. Small follicles developed within 10 days and ovulation occured within 20 days after the treatment. These findings were checked by rectal palpation.
2. Acute inflammatory changes occured in the endometrium on the 4th day after uterine curretage, and then disappeared on the 10th day after the treatment.
3. Histochemically, alkaline phosphatase activities and PAS-positive granules in the uterine and glandular epithefium were evident remarkably on the 4th and 10th day after uterine curettage, respectively.

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Effects of various doses of PMS and HCG on ovulation, implantation and foetal mortality in the mouse were studied. Results obtained were as follows.
1) The ovulation rate was not significantly different between various combinations of PMS and HCG in the experiment where copulating stimuli were given simultaneously (Table 1).
Higher the dose of PMS, however, larger number of ova was ovulated. The maximal ovulation was induced with 10 IU of PMS followed by 10 IU of HCG.
2) Implantation sites were inspected in the mice killed on 18 day gestation. Pregnancy rate (judged by presence of implantation site) was lower than that of control mice, and treatment with 10 IU of PMS and any doses (110 IU) of HCG was less effective than others.
Maximal implantation (21.7 & 21.6 sites) was observed by 5 IU of PMS (Table 2).
3) Larger number of living foetuses (12.617.3) was obtained by 5 IU of PMS compared with 10.9 in control gruop.
Foetal mortality tend to increase by higher dose of PMS and HCG (Table 2).
4) In conclusion, it was suggested that the most effective dose for implantation and fortal living in superovulated mice was 5 IU of PMS and 110 IU of HCG.

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