Results
Effects of different ratios of N-3/N-6 PUFAs on the weight
gain and feed intake of male SD rats
As shown in Table 4, there were no significant differences
in the initial body weights and average daily food
intakes. Weight gain tended to increase as the ratio of
n-3/n-6 PUFAs increased and the rats fed diets 4 and 5
had significantly (P < 0.05) higher weight gains when
compared with rats fed diet 1 and diet 2.
Effects of different ratios of N-3/N-6 PUFAs on semen
characteristics of male SD rats
There was no significant difference in testis index among
groups (P > 0.05). Results of semen characteristics are
shown in Table 5. The sperm density of the diet 4 group
was significantly higher than the diet 1 and diet 3 groups
(P < 0.05), but there was no significant differences between
animals in the diet 2 and 5 groups. Meanwhile,
the sperm motility in the diet 4 group was higher than
other groups (P < 0.05), and there were no significant
differences among diet groups 1, 2 and 3. All sperm
head, mid-piece, and tail anomalies were considered
sperm deformations. The sperm deformity ratio was significantly
influenced by the ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs. The
sperm deformity rate tended to decrease with the increasing
n-3/n-6 ratio (P < 0.05), and was significantly
lower in rats fed diets 4 and 5 compared with those fed
other diets.
Effects of different ratios of N-3/N-6 PUFAs on histological
and ultra-structural changes
As seen in Figure 1, testicular seminiferous tubules epithelium
and spermatogonia of the underlying epithelial