M Noroozzadeh - Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
S Behboudi-Gandevani - Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
M Farahmand - Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
M Rostami Dovom - Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is considered to be a gynecological condition and is the commonest endocrinopathy in reproductive-aged women, with an estimated prevalence ranging between 5-15% worldwide. Well-developed animal models that closely mimic human diseases e.g., PCOS may provide useful data for this approach; such investigations are impossible in humans. The aim of this study was to determine one of the most suitable rat models of PCOS that closely mimics human PCOS phenotype, in order to further investigations about PCOS.Objective: The aim of this study was to determine one of the most suitable rat models of PCOS that closely mimics human PCOS phenotype, in order to further investigations about PCOS.Materials and Methods: We searched Pubmed, Science direct, and Web of science between 1990 and 2016, for relevant English manuscripts, using keywords including the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome AND Rat Model to generate a subset of citations relevant to our research. Included were those articles that compared at least both ovarian histology or estrous cycle and reproductive hormonal profiles in hormone-induced rat model of PCOS and controls.Results: Differences in the findings between hormone-induced PCOS rats appear to be a result of the degree of transplacental transfer of the steroid administered into the fetus, dose and type of hormone, route of administration and timing and duration of exposure.Conclusion: We conclude that prenatal hormone-induced rat model with a lower dose and shorter time of exposure during the critical period of fetal development that exhibits endocrine, ovarian and metabolic disturbances similar to PCOS in women, while maintaining normal reproductive system morphology in adulthood is more suitable than postnatal hormone-induced rat model to facilitate studies regarding PCOS.

Hormone, PCOS, Rat, Review