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oocyte that showed gemlinal vesicle breakdown (i. e. resumption of meiosis) and
cumulus dispersion, However, ovulation had not completed because no ova were
found in the oviducts (Figure 3C). In two other animals, growing preantral and large
antral follicles were present, in the absence of indications of previous ovulations
(Figure 3D). These ovaries were similar in appearance to the ovaries of the first
anovulatory group, but the follicles and interstitium in these animals were
developed much further. The ovaries from wild type females showed a normal
picture, i, e. preantral and large antral follicles with new corpora lutea and ova in the
oviduct (Figure 3F).
Overall, these observations indicate a broad range of ovarian dysfunction in TTD
mice ranging from complete anovulation, via intact follicular growth to
preovulatory stages to sporadic, normal ovulation. Because fertility could very well
be a function of physical fitness of the individual, it is important to note that no
strict correlation was found between severeness of cachexia (as apparant from
bodyweight) and degree of anovulation. The heterogeneity in ovarian dysfunction as
well as other TID features may be due to the mixed 129-C57BLl6 background of
the mice. Whether acyclic TID females resemble reversible infertility as in anorecic
females or irreversible infertility as in mammalian menopauze awaits further
analysis.
We also compared fertility of a group of six TID males to six wild-type littelmates
by mating to wild-type females. At least up to seven months of age, TTD males
displayed normal fertility.
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