Pathological changes during aging in barrier-reared Fischer 344 male rats.
Pathology, microbiology, and selected serum chemistries were evaluated in 144 male Fischer rats from 4 to 33 mo of age. The rats were reared and maintained under barrier conditions, which successfully excluded the introduction of major infectious disease agents throughout the entire study, including Mycoplasma pulmonis. A wide variety of pathology was found and tabulated, and many lesions were found to increase in severity and incidence with age. There was a high correlation of renal disease severity with increasing age, while alpha-1 globulin and cholesterol increased.
D000238:Adenoma, Chromophobe / Q000473:pathology; D000375:Aging; D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000473:pathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000473:pathology; D007984:Leydig Cell Tumor / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344 / Q000502:physiology*; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000502:physiology*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000473:pathology; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology
D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D001798:Blood Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002784:Cholesterol