Evaluation of the Estrous Cycle, Reproductive Tract, and Mammary Gland in Female Mice.

Evaluation of the female reproductive system is an important part of basic reproductive biology research, toxicology testing, and mutant mouse phenotype assessment. The female reproductive system is dynamic and the onset of puberty and the normal changes observed during estrous cyclicity can create challenges for an investigator. Experimental work in the female mouse requires an understanding of the potential impact of the estrous cycle and tracking normal changes throughout the cycle allows for control of this key variable. The estrous cycle can be evaluated using vaginal cytology, which provides the researcher a daily assessment of the entire reproductive endocrine axis and allows for samples to be collected at precise times within the cycle. These protocols describe the basic approach to evaluating the onset of cyclicity, tracking the normal cycle, and collection and microscopic evaluation of the reproductive system and mammary gland in the mouse. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.