Factors Driving Unique Urination Phenotypes of Male and Female 9-Week-Old C57BL/6J Mice

The study investigated the factors influencing urination patterns in 9-week-old male and female C57BL/6J mice, focusing on the role of the prostate and testosterone. Using void spot assay and cystometry, researchers established baseline voiding functions and compared them across different groups: intact males, castrated males, males and females treated with finasteride, and genetically modified males with reduced prostate mass. They found that reducing prostate mass altered voiding function in varied ways, with castration making male urination patterns more similar to females, and exogenous testosterone making female patterns more like males. The study concluded that circulating testosterone significantly contributed to baseline sex differences in urination, while prostate mass had a lesser impact in young, healthy adult mice.