Guide for Rat Smear (Diestrus, Proestrus, Estrus and Metestrus)

    Since I have found it hard deciding the stages of rat estrus cycle, I would like to share my experience on it. Thus please refer these pictures for different stages of rat estrus cycle through the pictures I have taken. The text for the explanation of these stages can be found elsewhere, but the pictures are confusing. I have tried my best to post precise pictures at various stages.

1) Diestrus Stage:

Small dots are leukocytes.

2) Proestrus Stage:

3) Estrus Stage:

4) Metestrus Stage: