This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by CRAMER, D. V. Articles by GILL, T. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by CRAMER, D. V. Articles by GILL, T. J., III

MATERNAL INFLUENCE ON POSTIMPLANTATION SURVIVAL IN INBRED RATS

Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, U.S.A.

(Received 6th January 1975)

The derivation and maintenance of inbred strains of animals is frequently difficult or impossible due to reductions in litter size and viability of the offspring. Reductions in litter size might be expected from adverse genetic or environmental effects on components of the reproductive cycle including the ovulation rate, the rate of preimplantation mortality of the zygote and the rate of postimplantation mortality of the embryo. In some strains of inbred mice, the reduction in litter size is largely due to postimplantation losses (Lyon, 1959; Krzanowska, 1960; McCarthy, 1965, 1967). When female mice from inbred strains were mated to males of another strain, the incidence of postimplantation mortality was significantly reduced (McCarthy, 1965). It has been suggested (Lyon, 1959; McCarthy, 1965) that this wastage is the result of an increased number of recessive lethal