[The mammary gland of the male rat: a histological, histochemical and ultramicroscopic study (author's transl)].
Results of a histological, histochemical and ultramicroscopic study of samples taken from the mammary glands of male Wistar, Sprague-Dawley and Long Evans untreated rats, aged about 8 weeks, are reported. Lobulo-alveolar epithelial formations were observed together with increased metabolic and secretory activity, more frequent in Wistar rats than in other strains. No visible morphological abnormality was noted in the genital tract or adenohypophysis. There was no sign of feminization. The same findings were observed in male Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats given three different diets of which one was semi-synthetic. The possibility of an exogenous mammotropic dietary factor is therefore very improbable. Endogenous hormonal stimulation, especially consecutive increases in oestrogens and prolactin in the prepubertal period, is possibly the cause of development of mammary tissue. These results show that the mammary gland, in the normal male rat, is not inactive. It seems, therefore, that this organ is not a suitable model for the evaluation of experimental mammotropic effects.
D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
Etude de la glande mammaire du rat male. Aspects histologiques, histochimiques et ultrastructuraux.