Toxicologic Pathology· 2015Q2
Vaginal Cytology of the Laboratory Rat and Mouse
- 999citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2015year
Short summary
This review provides detailed descriptions and illustrations of vaginal cytology in rats and mice, clarifying the four stages of the estrous cycle (proestrus, estrus, metestrus, diestrus) based on cell types, density, and arrangement on stained smears.
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Key points
- Vaginal cytology is used to document estrous cycle stages and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis function in rats and mice.
- The four stages (proestrus, estrus, metestrus, diestrus) are defined by specific cell types, density, and arrangement on vaginal smears.
- This review provides comprehensive illustrations and detailed descriptions of these stages on metachromatic stained smears.
- It aims to resolve ambiguities caused by abbreviated definitions and lack of visual aids in current literature.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Microscopic evaluation of the types of cells present in vaginal smears has long been used to document the stages of the estrous cycle in laboratory rats and mice and as an index of the functional status of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. The estrous cycle is generally divided into the four stages of proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus. On cytological evaluation, these stages are defined by the absence, presence, or proportion of 4 basic cell types as well as by the cell density and arrangement of the cells on the slide. Multiple references regarding the cytology of the rat and mouse estrous cycle are available. Many contemporary references and studies, however, have relatively abbreviated definitions of the stages, are in reference to direct wet mount preparations, or lack comprehensive illustrations. This has led to ambiguity and, in some cases, a loss of appreciation for the encountered nuances of dividing a steadily moving cycle into 4 stages. The aim of this review is to provide a detailed description, discussion, and illustration of vaginal cytology of the rat and mouse estrous cycle as it appears on smears stained with metachromatic stains.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Toxicologic Pathology, 2015 · DOI ↗
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Field: Reproductive Medicine
Reproductive MedicineMedicine