著者
Tadatoshi OHTAKI Yasuna KOGA Mamiko ONO Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA Shigehisa TSUMAGARI
出版者
公益社団法人 日本獣医学会
雑誌
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science (ISSN:09167250)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.14-0270, (Released:2014-10-10)
被引用文献数
1

Reproductive parameters were evaluated in 19 and 14 estrous beagles that received 100 µg of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and saline treatment, respectively, on the day of luteinizing hormone (LH) surge (Day 0; estimated by serial progesterone assay) and balloon catheter-aided single transvaginal artificial insemination of frozen semen on Day 5. Although the conception rate and litter size were similar between the GnRH and saline groups, the concentration of LH peak was significantly higher in GnRH-treated bitches (P<0.01). In addition, the actual LH surge did not occur on the estimated Day 0 in one saline-treated bitch. In clinical practice that daily progesterone assay is difficult, administration of GnRH on estimated Day 0 would be recommended to induce or enhance the LH surge for timely and successful insemination.
著者
Pramod DHAKAL Akiko HIRAMA Yasuo NAMBO Takehiro HARADA Fumio SATO Kentaro NAGAOKA Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA
出版者
The Society for Reproduction and Development
雑誌
Journal of Reproduction and Development (ISSN:09168818)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.58, no.5, pp.522-530, 2012 (Released:2012-11-01)
参考文献数
35
被引用文献数
21 16

The present study was conducted to elucidate the profile of circulating gonadotropins and gonadal hormones from birth to puberty and relationship between gonadal seasonality and hormonal secretion in both sexes of Thoroughbred horses. Spring-born colts (n=6) and fillies (n=9) were blood sampled weekly from jugular vein from birth to 60 weeks of age. Circulating FSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone, progesterone, estradiol-17β, and immunoreactive (ir)-inhibin were measured by radioimmunoassay. In both sexes, the steroid hormones levels were remarkably high at birth, rapidly dropped within a week and remained at the lower levels until the start of second spring after birth. Ir-inhibin was also high during the birth, remaining lowest during winter and again increasing towards the second summer. There was an increase in FSH concentration in foals during the first summer months after birth and in the next summer, the FSH concentration along with that of LH increased significantly. The seasonal increase in circulating prolactin was remarkable even in the first year, and no differences were noted between the two summers. These results clearly demonstrated that the hypothalamo-pituitary axis is already responsive to changes in photoperiod and secrete prolactin similar to adult horses, but pituitary gonadotrophs for FSH and LH secretion is less sensitive. When the values of these hormones in the second breeding season after birth were compared with adult values of the respective sex in the breeding season, no significant differences were observed, indicating that spring-born fillies and colts have already attained the stage of puberty at the second breeding season after birth.
著者
Taiki TERAJIMA Anzu SHIBAHARA Yoshiaki NAKANO Shohei KOBAYASHI John R GODWIN Kentaro NAGAOKA Gen WATANABE Hideshige TAKADA Kaoruko MIZUKAWA
出版者
JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE
雑誌
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science (ISSN:09167250)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.22-0245, (Released:2022-10-04)

Persistent organic chemicals are non-biodegradable in nature and have a tendency to bioaccumulate in the top organisms of the food chain. We measured persistent organic chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and benzotriazole-based ultraviolet stabilizers (UV-BTs), in the serum of captive king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector and mass spectrometry to examine their age-related accumulation. PCBs, DDE, UV-PS, and UV-9 were detected in the blood of captive king penguins, and the concentrations of total PCBs, DDE, and UV-9 were positively correlated with age. These results suggest that there is a similar age-related accumulation of persistent organic chemicals in marine birds in the wild, and that older individuals are at a higher risk of contamination.
著者
Sukanya JAROENPORN Kentaro NAGAOKA Chizuru KASAHARA Ryo OHTA Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA
出版者
The Japan Endocrine Society
雑誌
Endocrine Journal (ISSN:09188959)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.54, no.5, pp.703-711, 2007 (Released:2007-12-19)
参考文献数
58
被引用文献数
36 37

The present study characterized the different hormonal responses to stress in the endocrine milieu with different circulating levels of prolactin (PRL) and examined the direct effects of PRL on adrenal steroidogenic responses to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) using experimentally induced hyperprolactinemia and hypoprolactinemia male rat models. Hyperprolactinemia was induced by transplantation of two adult female rat anterior pituitary glands under the kidney capsule for 2 weeks, and hypoprolactinemia was induced by daily subcutaneous injection of 2-Bromo-alpha-Ergocryptine (CB-154) for 2 weeks. Under stress conditions, the peak levels of ACTH were significantly higher in hypoprolactinemia than normal rats. Meanwhile, the peak levels of corticosterone and progesterone were significantly higher in hyperprolactinemia than in normal and hypoprolactinemia stressed rats. Results of in vitro experiments showed that adrenocortical cells in hyperprolactinemia exhibited higher basal levels of corticosterone and progesterone rats than normal and hypoprolactinemia rats. The stimulatory effect of ACTH on corticosterone and progesterone release was higher in hyperprolactinemia than hypoprolactinemia rats. In addition, PRL increased the stimulatory effect of ACTH-induced corticosterone secretion in all rat models. These results suggest that hypoprolactinemia and hyperprolactinemia rats exhibit marked differences in the response of their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during acute restrain stress. Additionally, these studies emphasize that the adrenal cortex might be more sensitive to ACTH stimulation in endocrine milieu with high levels of PRL resulting in high corticosterone and progesterone release.
著者
Tadatoshi OHTAKI Haruna FUJIWARA Gen WATANABE Mamiko ONO Kazuyoshi TAYA Shigehisa TSUMAGARI
出版者
JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE
雑誌
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science (ISSN:09167250)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.82, no.12, pp.1773-1780, 2020 (Released:2020-12-26)
参考文献数
39

The effect of estrus induction by cabergoline on gonadotropin and steroid hormone responses was examined in anestrous bitches. Eleven beagles were used in the study; seven were included in the estrus induction group and four were included in the spontaneous estrus group. Cabergoline was orally administered to the estrus induction group at 5 µg/kg once daily for four weeks, or until hemorrhagic discharge was detected. The inter-estrus interval in the estrus induction group was significantly shorter than the previous estrus interval. Bitches that showed proestrus within four weeks of treatment showed increased luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency and, subsequently, increased estradiol (E2) levels. Prolactin (PRL) levels declined promptly after treatment, except in one bitch that did not show proestrus during the cabergoline treatment period. There was a significant correlation between the time to proestrus induction and the reduction in PRL levels. A positive correlation was found between the LH levels two weeks after cabergoline administration and PRL reduction. This study demonstrates that an abrupt reduction in PRL is likely to be important for initiation of estrus in bitches. A reduction in PRL indirectly leads to an increase in LH pulse frequency, which regulates follicular development in bitches. However, if the period from the end of the previous estrus to the cabergoline treatment is short, it may take some time to show proestrus without increasing E2 levels, even if the LH level increases after cabergoline administration.
著者
Tadatoshi OHTAKI Haruna FUJIWARA Gen WATANABE Mamiko ONO Kazuyoshi TAYA Shigehisa TSUMAGARI
出版者
JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE
雑誌
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science (ISSN:09167250)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.19-0397, (Released:2020-11-02)

The effect of estrus induction by cabergoline on gonadotropin and steroid hormone responses was examined in anestrous bitches. Eleven beagles were used in the study; seven were included in the estrus induction group and four were included in the spontaneous estrus group. Cabergoline was orally administered to the estrus induction group at 5 µg/kg once daily for four weeks, or until hemorrhagic discharge was detected. The inter-estrus interval in the estrus induction group was significantly shorter than the previous estrus interval. Bitches that showed proestrus within four weeks of treatment showed increased luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency and, subsequently, increased estradiol (E2) levels. Prolactin (PRL) levels declined promptly after treatment, except in one bitch that did not show proestrus during the cabergoline treatment period. There was a significant correlation between the time to proestrus induction and the reduction in PRL levels. A positive correlation was found between the LH levels two weeks after cabergoline administration and PRL reduction. This study demonstrates that an abrupt reduction in PRL is likely to be important for initiation of estrus in bitches. A reduction in PRL indirectly leads to an increase in LH pulse frequency, which regulates follicular development in bitches. However, if the period from the end of the previous estrus to the cabergoline treatment is short, it may take some time to show proestrus without increasing E2 levels, even if the LH level increases after cabergoline administration.
著者
Jun KAMBE Yu SASAKI Ryo INOUE Shozo TOMONAGA Teruo KINJO Gen WATANABE Wanzhu JIN Kentaro NAGAOKA
出版者
JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE
雑誌
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science (ISSN:09167250)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.20-0190, (Released:2020-04-29)
被引用文献数
9

The prevention of diseases through health control is essential at zoos. Recently, the gut microbiota, which is an ecosystem consisting of the bacteria living in the digestive tract, has been found to be one of the key systems that mediates animal health. However, there is little basic knowledge about gut microbiota in zoo animals, particularly the relationship between mothers and infants during lactation. Here, we investigated the formation of the gut microbiota during infancy in an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in Okinawa Zoo and compared the composition between infant and mother. In addition, we analyzed the components of breast milk and examined the correlation with the infant gut microbiota. Analysis revealed that the gut microbiota of the infant contained high amount of Lactobacillales and its diversity was relatively low compared to that of the mother. We found several milk components, such as lactose, threonine and estradiol-17β, which showed a positive correlation with the change of Lactobacillales during the lactation period. In conclusion, the present study sheds light on the mechanism of gut microbiota formation during infancy in an Asian elephant and provides important insights into the health control of Asian elephants in zoos.
著者
Longquan REN Mohamed S. MEDAN Mariko OZU Chunmei LI Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA
出版者
THE SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
雑誌
Journal of Reproduction and Development (ISSN:09168818)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.0601130020, (Released:2006-01-16)
被引用文献数
20 27

The effect of induced cryptorchidism on testicular function and sperm motility was investigated. Bilateral cryptorchidism was created surgically in adult male rats (treated group), and sham-operated rats were used as a control group. Five rats from each group were sacrificed on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after surgery. The percentage of motile spermatozoa began to decrease 1 day after the operation, followed by an abrupt decline 3 and 5 days later in cryptorchid rats. Furthermore, there were significant decreases in the other sperm motility parameters 5 days after inducement of cryptorchidism. In cryptorchid rats, plasma concentrations of LH, FSH, testosterone, and inhibin B were significantly lower than in the control group 1 day after the operation. Thereafter, plasma concentrations of LH, FSH, and testosterone gradually increased in the cryptorchid rats. On the other hand, plasma concentrations of inhibin B showed a further decline from day 3 after the operation onward. Concentrations of immunoreactive (ir)-inhibin, but not testosterone, in testicular interstitial fluid were remarkably increased until 3 days after surgery in the cryptorchid rats, and declined thereafter. Testicular response to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for testosterone release was decreased in the cryptorchid rats compared with the control rats, indicating that heat stress to testes resulted in a reduction of the activity of Leydig cells and Sertoli cells. These results clearly indicate that heat stress to the testes resulted in a significant reduction of sperm activity within 3 days, and this was followed by changes in testicular endocrine function.
著者
Siriwan TANGYUENYONG Fumio SATO Yasuo NAMBO Harutaka MURASE Yoshiro ENDO Tomomi TANAKA Kentaro NAGAOKA Gen WATANABE
出版者
日本ウマ科学会
雑誌
Journal of Equine Science (ISSN:13403516)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.28, no.3, pp.77-86, 2017 (Released:2017-09-20)
参考文献数
43
被引用文献数
5

This study aimed to compare body growth, metabolic, and reproductive hormonal changes in trained Thoroughbred yearling horses under different climate conditions with and without light supplementation (LS). Thoroughbred yearlings raised at research centers of the Japan Racing Association in Hokkaido (north) or Miyazaki (south) were divided into control and LS groups. In the LS groups, 44 colts and 47 fillies from Hokkaido and 11 colts and 11 fillies from Miyazaki were exposed to LS with an extended photoperiod of 14.5 hr of daylight and 9.5 hr of darkness. One week before and once a month after LS, circulating total thyroxine (T4), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1), prolactin (PRL), cortisol, and progesterone (P4) concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay and fluoroimmunoassay, respectively. Growth parameters, including body weight, height, girth, and cannon bone circumferences, were measured monthly. Hair coat (HC) condition was scored. Under natural conditions, the T4 concentrations of Hokkaido yearlings tended to be higher, whereas the IGF-1 (colt) and PRL levels were significantly lower than those of yearlings in Miyazaki. Growth parameters and HC scores were lower in Hokkaido yearlings. With LS, the PRL and P4 concentrations in Hokkaido and Miyazaki were higher, and the first ovarian activity tended to be earlier than in the controls. Only LS Hokkaido yearlings showed significantly higher HC scores than the controls. Comparing the different climates among the LS yearlings, the levels of PRL and P4 and the HC scores in Hokkaido yearlings increased and reached levels similar to those in Miyazaki yearlings. The body weight and girth increment percentages of Hokkaido yearlings in January dramatically decreased and then eventually increased to levels similar to those of Miyazaki yearlings. This suggested that yearlings in naturally colder Hokkaido exhibit higher basal metabolism to maintain homeostasis. However, providing LS may help to improve growth and early development of reproductive function in Hokkaido yearlings to levels equal to those of Miyazaki horses.
著者
Hirotoshi MIZUKAMI Tsuyoshi SUZUKI Yasuo NAMBO Mutsuki ISHIMARU Hiroshi NAITO Kenji KOROSUE Kentaro AKIYAMA Kenji MIYATA Akira YAMANOBE Kentaro NAGAOKA Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA
出版者
日本ウマ科学会
雑誌
Journal of Equine Science (ISSN:13403516)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.26, no.2, pp.49-56, 2015 (Released:2015-07-02)
参考文献数
14
被引用文献数
4 10

Development and endocrine changes in Thoroughbreds colts and fillies were compared between those reared at two facilities of the Japan Racing Association, the Hidaka Training and Research Center (Hidaka) and Miyazaki Yearling Training Farm (Miyazaki). Thoroughbred colts and fillies born in Japan between 2003 and 2010 were used. Each colt group and filly group was divided into 2 groups, respectively, and raised in Hidaka or Miyazaki for 7 months from September at 1 year old to April at 2 years old. For the growth parameters, the body weight, height at withers, and girth and cannon circumferences were measured once a month. For parameters of endocrine function, circulating prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol-17β levels were measured. Regarding growth, the rate of increase over the 7-month period was significantly higher in both colts and fillies raised in Miyazaki than in Hidaka in all 4 parameters: body weight, height at withers, and girth and cannon circumferences. The endocrine changes of the colts and fillies born in 2007 were as follows. In colts, although circulating prolactin tended to be higher in colts reared in Hidaka from October to April, circulating LH, FSH, testosterone, estradiol-17β and IGF-1 tended to be higher in colts reared in Miyazaki than in Hidaka, suggesting that the gonadotropin-releasing hormone-LH/FSH system and the growth hormone-IGF-1 system were more active in colts reared in Miyazaki as compared with those reared in Hidaka. In fillies, circulating prolactin tended to be higher in fillies reared in Hidaka in February and March, but no significant difference was noted in the serum LH, FSH, IGF-1, or progesterone level between the 2 groups. Circulating estradiol-17β tended to be higher in fillies reared in Miyazaki than in Hidaka in October and November. Regarding ovarian function, the initial ovulation occurred by the end of March in 2 (16.7%) of 12 fillies reared in Hidaka and 7 (38.9%) of 18 fillies reared in Miyazaki, suggesting that the ovarian function was more active in fillies reared in Miyazaki as compared with those reared in Hidaka. Based on these findings, it was clarified that development of the body and gonads was faster in Miyazaki compared with Hidaka in both colts and fillies.
著者
Yuki YAMAMOTO Tatsuya YAMAMOTO Natsuki YUTO Thomas B. HILDEBRANDT Imke LUEDERS Gudrun WIBBELT Osamu SHIINA Yasushi MOURI Keisuke SUGIMURA Sayuri SAKAMOTO Saroch KAEWMANEE Kentaro NAGAOKA Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA
出版者
日本繁殖生物学会
雑誌
Journal of Reproduction and Development (ISSN:09168818)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.1111070413-1111070413, (Released:2011-11-11)
被引用文献数
2 13

The objective of the present study was to define the secretion of prolactin (PRL) in pregnant African and Asian elephants. Levels of immunoreactive (ir-) PRL in serum and placental homogenates were measured by a heterologous radioimmunoassay (RIA) based on an ovine and human RIA system, and the localization of immunoreactive (ir-) PRL in the placenta was detected by immunohistochemistry using anti-human PRL. Circulating ir-prolactin clearly showed a biphasic pattern during pregnancy in African and Asian elephants. Serum levels of ir-PRL started to increase from the 4-6th month of gestation and reached the first peak level around the 11-14th month. A second peak of circulating ir-PRL levels was observed around the 18-20th month of gestation followed by an abrupt decline after parturition. In contrast, in a case of abortion of an African elephant, the second peak of ir-PRL was not observed, and the levels remained low for about four months until parturition. The weight of the fetus delivered at the 17th month of gestation was 23.5 kg, which was quite small compared with normal fetuses in previous reports. Ir-PRL was detected in placental homogenates, and immunolocalization was observed in trophoblasts in both the African and Asian elephants, indicating that the placenta is the source of ir-PRL during pregnancy in elephants. The present results clearly demonstrated that circulating ir-PRL shows a biphasic pattern during normal pregnancy and that the placenta appears to be an important source of circulating ir-PRL during pregnancy in both African and Asian elephants.
著者
Hataitip TRISOMBOON Suchinda MALAIVIJITNOND Wichai CHERDSHEWASART Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA
出版者
日本繁殖生物学会
雑誌
Journal of Reproduction and Development (ISSN:09168818)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.52, no.4, pp.537-542, 2006 (Released:2006-08-25)
参考文献数
30
被引用文献数
17 19

To investigate the estrogenic effect of Pueraria mirifica (PM), a Thai herbal plant that contains many phytoestrogens, sexual skin coloration was studied in cynomolgus monkeys. Aged menopausal monkeys were divided into three groups. Each group (n=3) was fed 10, 100, or 1,000 mg of PM daily. The treatment schedule was divided into three periods, a 30-day pre-treatment period, 90-day treatment period, and 60-day post-treatment period. The results show that the sexual skin exhibited reddish coloration within 24 h after PM-treatment and remained this way for the first half of the PM-feeding period. The changes in sexual skin coloration were not dose-dependent. The present results indicate that PM had estrogenic action by increasing reddish sexual skin coloration in aged menopausal monkeys.
著者
Hataitip TRISOMBOON Suchinda MALAIVIJITNOND Juri SUZUKI Yuzuru HAMADA Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA
出版者
日本繁殖生物学会
雑誌
Journal of Reproduction and Development (ISSN:09168818)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.50, no.6, pp.639-645, 2004 (Released:2005-01-07)
参考文献数
35
被引用文献数
18 19

To determine the effect of Pueraria mirifica (PM) on serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium levels on aged menopausal monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), subjects were treated with 10, 100, or 1,000 mg/day of PM. Blood samples were collected every 5 days for 30, 90, and 60 days during pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment periods, respectively. Sera were assayed for PTH, estradiol, and calcium levels. PM-1,000 had the strongest effect on the decrease in PTH (0.001<P≤0.05) and calcium levels (0.001<P≤0.03) during the treatment period. PTH levels remained low for the first 15 days of the post-treatment period (0.01≤P ≤0.05). PM-10 induced a significant decrease in PTH level on day 80 (P=0.02) during the treatment period and a significant decrease in calcium level on day 75 (P<0.01). There were no changes in serum PTH and calcium levels throughout the study period in the PM-100 group. Estradiol levels decreased significantly during the treatment period in all treatment groups. The results suggest that long-term treatment with 1,000 mg/day of PM decreases serum PTH and calcium levels in aged menopausal monkeys, indicating that PM ameliorates bone loss caused by estrogen deficiency.
著者
Kenji KOROSUE Harutaka MURASE Fumio SATO Mutsuki ISHIMARU Takehiro HARADA Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA Yasuo NAMBO
出版者
JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE
雑誌
Journal of Veterinary Medical Science (ISSN:09167250)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.1203280800, (Released:2012-04-02)
被引用文献数
5 11

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that a barren parous Thoroughbred mare with lactation induced by hormonal treatment can be introduced to an orphan foal at the same farm and that the mare can become pregnant after the end of the hormonal treatment. An additional purpose was to investigate the changes in the plasma concentrations of prolactin, estradiol-17β, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone before, during, and after hormonal treatment. The difference in body weight between the adopted foal and the control foals, which were at the same farm and raised by their natural mothers, was 17 kg at 24 weeks old, when the foals were weaned. However, the adopted foal and the control foals had almost the same weight at 35 weeks old and later. The first ovulation after hormonal treatment was confirmed 10 days after the end of hormonal treatment and then the normal estrous cycle resumed. Furthermore, the changes in plasma progesterone, estradiol-17β, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone showed regular patterns after the first ovulation. Conception was confirmed in the fifth ovulation. Meanwhile, another study demonstrated that conception was confirmed in the first ovulation after hormonal treatment. The present study is the first to demonstrate the hormonal profiles during and after induction of lactation in a Thoroughbred mare. This approach is useful for solving the economic and epidemic problems of introducing a nurse mare to an orphan foal.
著者
Midori YOSHIDA Takasumi SHIMOMOTO Sayumi KATASHIMA Gen WATANABE Kazuyoshi TAYA Akihiko MAEKAWA
出版者
THE SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
雑誌
Journal of Reproduction and Development (ISSN:09168818)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.50, no.3, pp.349-360, 2004 (Released:2004-06-24)
参考文献数
56
被引用文献数
23 32

Effects of maternal exposure to low doses of bisphenol A (BPA), including those comparable with human exposure levels, on growth and development of the female reproductive system and uterine carcinogenesis in Donryu rats were investigated. Dams were administered BPA (0, 0.006 and 6 mg/kg/day) daily by gavage from gestation day 2 up to the day before weaning (postnatal day 21 at offspring). The serum levels of BPA were significantly elevated in the dams receiving 6 mg/kg/day, however, BPA levels in the milk of dams, and those in the serum and liver of offspring were similar between control and treated groups. The treatment did not exert any influences on uterine development including weight, gland genesis and estrogen receptor α expression, vaginal opening and gonadotropin secretion in the female offspring up to puberty. After maturation, no effects were evident with regard to estrous cyclicity in female offspring treated with BPA. In addition, the treatment had no effects on age-related morphological changes of the reproductive and endocrine organs and uterine carcinogenesis until 15 months of age. The results demonstrate that maternal exposure to BPA at levels comparable to human exposure did not have any effects on the female reproductive system of offspring in rats. In addition, BPA was also found in the serum, milk and liver of control dams and pups, and low levels of BPA were detected in drinking water and pellet diet. The present study showed that the experimental animals were also exposed to environmental BPA in the animal room.