Biology of Reproduction - Instructions for Authors

Below you will find a description of editorial policies and practices and advice on preparing your manuscript for submission into the BOR online manuscript management system. Manuscript submissions, reviews, and proofs are routed and viewed entirely online. Although you will find basic information in these Instructions about the online system, the submission site has complete instructions and context-sensitive FAQs (frequently-asked questions). We recommend that you refer to the online “Help” and “FAQs” sections when you submit your manuscript.

If you have not registered in this system, please do so at this time. You must “Create a New Account” (i.e., register) so the system will recognize you in your roles as author and reviewer of manuscripts submitted to BOR. You register only once in the Bench>Press system, regardless of the number of Bench>Press journals to which you submit papers or for which you serve as reviewer. If you have registered with another journal that uses Bench>Press, simply enter your e-mail and password to link your existing registration with BOR. Please note that you must complete the Personal Information Area for each journal, as the information requested may differ among journals.

When your registration is complete, you may enter the Author Area on the main page of the site. When you click the “Help with Online Submission” link <http://submit.biolreprod.org/submission/submissionhelp> in the box on the right side of the screen, you will find instructions for submitting your manuscript.

Please e-mail bor2@ssr.org or call 608-256-2777 if you have problems with the system. Thank you.

Biology of Reproduction (BOR) is wholly owned and published by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc. (SSR). The journal is published monthly in printed (ISSN 0006-3363) and digital (eISSN 1529-7268) formats. Editorial policies are established by SSR’s Board of Directors and are implemented by the Editors-in-Chief and Associate Editors of the journal.

Manuscripts may be submitted from any country or territory; however, all manuscripts must be written in standard American English. Before submitting a paper to Biology of Reproduction, authors whose native language is not English are advised to ensure that their manuscript meets the language standards required by the journal. Please see Language Help for Authors below.
Authors are not required to be members of SSR; however, authors who are SSR members benefit through reduced page charges and color fees. Upon acceptance, the Editorial Office must have on file the Authorship Form with authors listed in the same order as they appear in the manuscript. This form will be requested at the revision stage of your manuscript, but you may fill out this form and submit it at any time (click here for authorship form ).
All authors are aware of and agree to submit this manuscript to BOR. The check-box on the first page of the online submission form must be selected.
All material submitted for consideration is original, unpublished material and is being submitted exclusively to BOR.
All authors participated sufficiently in the intellectual content, analysis of data (if applicable), and writing of the manuscript.
All authors affirm that the care and use of research animals were within standard ethical guidelines and, if applicable, the protocols were approved by their institution. This must be stated in the manuscript. The check-box regarding animal care and use on the first page of the online submission form must be selected.
All authors affirm that informed consent (where applicable) and/or institutional approval was secured for use of human tissue. This must be stated in the manuscript. The check-box regarding the Helsinki Accord on the first page of the online submission form must be selected.
Potential financial conflicts of interest are disclosed as stated in the Cover Letter, with appropriate documentation provided.
All authors are aware of and agree to pay the costs of publication as stated in this document and on the Authorship Form.
All authors have read the Ethical Guidelines for Publication of Research Results in Reproductive Biology and the Guidelines for Digital Images.
By publishing in this journal, authors imply that they will make available specialized reagents (e.g., antibodies, DNA probes, or genetic strains of organisms) to other scientists in the field who require them for bona fide purposes.

Before submitting a paper to Biology of Reproduction, authors whose native language is not English are advised to ensure that their manuscript meets the language standards required by the journal. Authors may request that an associate whose first language is English read and revise the manuscript. Another option is to use a commercial editorial service. Among the services available to authors planning to a submit manuscript to BOR or other English-language biological and biomedical research journals are the following:

Authors should visit the Web sites for more information about fees and turnaround times and should contact the editorial service directly before sending a manuscript for language assistance.

BOR publishes two types of manuscripts: full-length reports of approximately eight printed pages (roughly equivalent to 24 double-spaced manuscript pages, including figures and tables) and minireviews of six printed pages (18 double-spaced manuscript pages, including figures and tables). All papers submitted to Biology of Reproduction must conform to both the Ethical Guidelines for Publication of Research Results in Reproductive Biology and the Guidelines for Digital Images. For matters of style, Biology of Reproduction follows the American Medical Association Manual of Style, 15th ed. (Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 2003), and Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, 7th ed. (Chicago: Council of Science Editors; 2006). Manuscripts that are not written in acceptable standard American English or that are incorrectly prepared will be returned to the author without review.

The Editors encourage submission of Editorials on topics of interest to the community of reproductive biologists. All Editorials must be submitted via the online manuscript processing system for editorial review and approval. Page and alteration charges are waived; any figures and images must be presented as online supplemental data only. Editorials should be brief: no more than two printed pages (~four, double-spaced manuscript pages equals one printed page).

At the time of submission, authors must agree to honor publication charges if the manuscript is accepted. For minireviews, publication charges for six published pages, including up to three color illustrations, will be waived, and authors will be assessed page charges for all pages beyond the six-page limit. The current publication costs are as follows:

SSR offers two open access options for authors who desire or who are required to publish in a journal that has an open access option.

Research Papers
	SSR Member	Non-Member
Page Charges	$60*	$100
Author Alterations	$3.75 per alteration	$3.75 per alteration
Color Figures	$0** for first, then $200 each thereafter	$650 for first, then $200 each thereafter

Minireviews
Page Charges	First six pages free; rates quoted above apply to subsequent pages
Author Alterations	$3.75 per alteration
Color Figures	Up to 3 free, $200 each thereafter

Option #1: Authors' Choice Open Access option of $1800 USD, payable upon acceptance. Authors agree to pay other publication costs separately (page charges, author alterations, reprints, and color image costs) after final publication. The paper will be freely available in BOR-Papers In Press and in its final form on Biology of Reproduction's web site immediately upon publication.

Option #2: Authors' Choice Open Access option of $3000 USD, payable upon acceptance. This fee includes all publication costs. The paper will be freely available in BOR-Papers In Press and in its final form on Biology of Reproduction's web site immediately upon publication.

When you submit your manuscript to BOR, you will indicate if you are interested in an open access option. Upon acceptance, you will be sent further information and payment options. Please contact the editorial office at bor@ssr.org if you have any questions about BOR's Authors' Choice Open Access options.

All manuscripts must be submitted online at http://submit.biolreprod.org. The Editorial Office is committed to processing manuscripts as rapidly as possible without compromising the quality or integrity of the journal. To expedite the review and, eventually, the production phases of publication, manuscripts must be prepared according to the “Instructions for Authors.” On average, authors receive reviewers’ comments within four weeks of submission.

To be published in BOR, the work must make a clear advance in the field. Authors are asked to provide a one-sentence statement defining this advance. It is not sufficient that a manuscript be simply well written or scientifically sound. Many papers fall into this category, but do not achieve the level of significance desired for publication in BOR. Descriptive papers will be acceptable if they meet the criterion of demonstrating a clear advance in the field and if they establish crucial groundwork for future experimental approaches. Extending an observation from one species to another or one system to another is not, in itself, sufficient justification for publication in BOR. However, special consideration may be given to extending key observations to nonhuman primates or to humans. Minireviews must be highly focused and address a specific new concept, area of controversy, or deficiency of data in a specific area. They are not intended to highlight recent accomplishments of personnel associated with a single laboratory. Minireviews must provide new insights and directions for future research.

Every manuscript meeting submission criteria will be assigned to an Associate Editor (AE) whose expertise covers the research area of the manuscript. The AE will select reviewers. The selected reviewers will be contacted by e-mail and may view the abstract before accepting a review assignment. Reviewers are asked to return reviews within 14 days; reminders are sent to reviewers at appropriate intervals. The reviewers will rate the importance, originality, and overall suitability of the manuscript according to the criteria detailed above. Reviewers will also comment on the appropriateness of the statistical methods and the use of animal and/or human subjects/tissue, if applicable to the manuscript. The AEs will evaluate the reviews and recommend a decision to the Editors-in-Chief. The Editors-in-Chief will render the decision. Manuscripts submitted by the Editors-in-Chief will be handled by a consulting editor selected by the Board of Directors. Manuscripts submitted by AEs will be handled by the Editors-in-Chief.

Decisions are “Accept,” “Conditional Acceptance,” “Accepted Only If Appropriately Revised,” and “Reject.”

Manuscripts that receive the decision “Accepted if Appropriately Revised” or “Conditional Acceptance” may be revised and submitted only once for rereview. If Authors decide not to submit a revision, they must formally withdraw the manuscript, using options in the online submission process. Revised manuscripts must be received by the Editorial Office within 90 days of the date of first decision; if a revised manuscript is received after the 90-day period, it will be treated as a new manuscript or a resubmission. If authors find that an extension is necessary, they must formally request an extension from the Editors-in-Chief in writing.

Rejected papers may not be resubmitted without written permission from the Editors-in-Chief. Rejection decisions must be appealed in writing. The revised and resubmitted paper will be assigned as described above, and may or may not be sent to the same reviewers as those who conducted the original review.

Papers may be withdrawn at any stage prior to acceptance. A written request, including the reason(s) for withdrawal, must be sent to the Editors-in-Chief. The Editors-in-Chief will respond to the authors and notify editorial staff to formally withdraw the submission behalf of the authors. Authors will receive a confirmation and reviewers (if any) will receive an e-mail notification that the paper is no longer under consideration by BOR. If the paper is resubmitted at a later date, authors must provide the previous manuscript ID number in their cover letter.

Final publication of accepted papers occurs within four months of acceptance; the accepted, peer-reviewed version is published online in BOR-Papers In Press as soon after acceptance as possible. Accepted manuscripts are subjected to light copyediting to correct grammar and impose standard journal style. All papers accepted for publication will appear first in BOR-Papers in Press in the reviewed but unedited version and then, after copyediting, in the print journal and in the full-text, searchable online version (www.biolreprod.org), the journal of record.

Beginning in January 2009, BOR will, on behalf of authors for whom it is a requirement, automatically deposit articles to PubMed Central. All authors should include their funding footnote in the text box provided on the first page of the online submission process.

If a paper must be retracted after it has been published, a complete explanation must be submitted to the Editors-in-Chief in writing and be signed by all authors. Upon examination, if it is found that the paper must be retracted, the following procedure will be followed:

Upon notification from the Editors-in-Chief, editorial staff will provide authors with a form that must be completed, signed by all authors, and returned to the Editorial Office.
Upon receipt of this document, editorial staff will post the retraction with the next available Papers In Press posting; if the paper has been printed in a regular journal issue, the retraction will be printed in the next available issue.

Careful manuscript preparation will ensure an easy, accurate upload and reduce charges incurred by Authors’ Alterations later in the proof stage. (Authors’ Alterations are currently charged at $3.75 per alteration.)

Preferred word processing formats are Word and WordPerfect. Word 2007 files must be "saved as" a previous version of Word: "docx" file formats are not currently accepted. In particular, equations must not be formatted using the new math editing tool available in Word 2007. Choose the Design Science Equation Editor (formerly the default Word editor) or MathType rather than the new default math editor featured in the Insert ribbon. To use either Equation Editor or MathType, in the Insert ribbon, click “Object” and choose object type “Microsoft Equation 3.0” or “MathType Equation.” The Equation Editor toolbar or MathType window will appear and will work as in previous versions of Word.
Choose U.S. English. In Word, click “Tools” on the toolbar; select “Language,” and then “Set Language.” Select “English (U.S.)” and click “OK.” In WordPerfect, click “Tools” on the toolbar; select “Language,” then “Settings”; scroll to find “English-U.S.”, and click “OK.”
Arrange manuscript in the following order (except Minireviews; see Minireviews below):
1. Title Page
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Materials and Methods
5. Results
6. Discussion
7. Acknowledgments (if applicable)
8. References
9. Figure Legends
10. Tables
11. Figures
Page set-up must be 8-1/2" x 11" paper. Do not use A4 paper formatting. In Word, click “File” on the toolbar and select “Page Setup”; click the “Paper Size” tab and choose “Letter.” In WordPerfect, click “File” on the toolbar, select “Page Setup,” click the “Size” tab, and choose “Letter.” One-inch margins are sufficient.
Double-space all text.
You may use three levels of heads in the text. Level 1 is reserved for Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments, and References; Level 2 heads are subsidiary to Level 1 heads, and Level 3 heads are subsidiary to Level 2 heads. See a recent issue of Biology of Reproduction for examples of Level 2 and 3 heads. Level 2 and 3 heads should be descriptive phrases, not full sentences.
Number pages at the top right.
Number lines of the text in the left margin. Please use the word-processing feature “line numbering” to number the lines, thus making it easy for reviewers to be specific in their comments. Lines must be numbered consecutively. Manuscripts submitted without line numbering will be returned to authors for correction prior to review. To add line numbering in Word, select the text from the Abstract up to the References; select File, Page Set-Up, and the layout tab. Make sure that the "Apply to" dropdown is set for "selected text". Click on Line Numbering; choose consecutive and number every five lines. In WordPerfect, click the paragraph where you want line numbering to begin, click Format, Line, Numbering, and enable the Turn Line Numbering On check-box.
Cite references, tables, figures, and supplemental data consecutively as they appear in the text. In the text, place reference numbers in square brackets: “as Smith [12] reported” or “as previously reported [3-5].” Authors will be charged for any alterations to References (e.g., References out of order or corrections to any Reference).
Genetic sequence deposits must be made to the appropriate database and documented in a footnote 1 on the title page of the manuscript.
Genetic nomenclature must adhere to the guidelines of the relevant species nomenclature committees (please see Nomenclature information below).
All Asian fonts must be removed or converted into standard fonts such as Helvetica or Times Roman.
All figures, tables, and supplemental data must be in their final format. Please see Illustrative Material information below).

Minireviews must be highly focused and address a specific new concept, area of controversy, or deficiency of data in a specific area. They are not intended to highlight recent accomplishments of personnel associated with a single laboratory. Minireviews must provide new insights and directions for future research. For minireviews, color illustration charges and publication charges for six published pages (18 double-spaced manuscript pages, including figures and tables) and up to three color figures, will be waived. Authors will be assessed page charges at the current rate for all pages beyond the six-page limit and $200 for each additional color plate. All minireviews must be submitted online and, other than format, should follow the Instructions for Authors.

To contain publishing costs, the Editorial and Production Offices must make every effort to conserve space. Manuscripts must be concise. Avoid reiteration and redundancies. Authors should observe the following standards:

Do not include a summary or discussion in the Introduction that is redundant to other sections of the manuscript.
Do not present discussion in the Results section.
Cite only essential references. It is not acceptable to cite abstracts or submitted papers as references (exception: an abstract published in a regular issue of a readily available and indexed journal).
Do not include sequence information that can be accessed in GenBank or EMBL (see the Results and Tables sections below).
Include only essential figures. Format each figure so that it occupies no more space than is necessary to convey critical information; do not include unnecessary white space on figures. Please include labeling on the figures for online viewing, e.g., “Figure 1, Smith et al.” to ensure that figures are viewed online in the correct order by reviewers and editorial staff.
Do not reiterate information in figure legends that appears in Materials and Methods or in Results. Do not include lengthy descriptive information in figure legends that is more appropriately incorporated in the text of the manuscript.
Avoid unnecessary tables; do not put data in tabular form if the information can be presented adequately in a few sentences in the text. Tables with only one row of data will be returned to the author for incorporation into the text; very large tables should be submitted as supplemental data (see Supplemental Data section below).

All submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter; a text box for this purpose appears on the first screen of the online submission form. The cover letter should contain the following:

The title of the paper and a statement of its main point and significance.
Information that will ensure a fair review and avoid potential conflicts of interest.
Disclosure of authors' professional and financial affiliations that may be perceived as having biased the presentation.
Confirmation that written permission has been obtained from any author whose work is cited as a personal communication, unpublished work, or work in press, but is not an author of the manuscript; upon acceptance, a copy of this permission will be requested.
Confirmation that written permission has been obtained from all publishers, individuals, or institutions that hold copyright or exclusive license for any work (figure, table, textual extract) included in the submission, whether the work is verbatim or modified.
If Supplemental Data are uploaded, indicate if the data are to be reviewed and included in the final publication or if the data are intended for review purposes only.

Use upper and lower case letters. Please indicate species and italicize as needed; do not use abbreviations or acronyms, and spell out Greek characters.

One-sentence summary of the manuscript's significance (limited to 250 characters). Do not use phrases such as “this paper demonstrates …” or “we show that …” Examples of appropriate summary statements:

The protein greatstuff (GTSF), which is produced by the developing oocyte, is essential for preimplantation embryo development beyond the two-cell stage.

Photoperiod regulation of amino acid transport in the brain influences spawning behavior of guppies.

Rat Sertoli cells promote high expression of Clutz mRNA and CLUTZ protein by spermatocytes; the phenotype of a null mutation in the Clutz gene is azoospermia.

The Topic Category is selected online. Keywords chosen online are for reviewer selection; you may include different keywords on the title page that will be printed with the paper.

List all authors (use upper and lower case letters) and complete name and location (with department and/or division, if appropriate), including postal codes, of each institution where work was performed (do not use abbreviations or acronyms). Use superscript Arabic numerals to key authors to institutions. The authors as presented on the title page should exactly match the online Author List (page 3 of the online submission form) in both order and style (including middle initial and/or hyphenated names).

Indicate financial support (grant or contract numbers) and funding agency as a footnote to the title. Do not include funding information in the Acknowledgments section.

The corresponding author should be indicated with a footnote and the footnote should give the complete contact information for this person.

250 words (established by most indexing systems). State the purpose of the work, indicate the methods used, and summarize conclusions. Do not present data. Do not cite references. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.

Provide a clear statement of the problem and cite the relevant literature on the subject. Do not include results or summary statements in this section.

Specify the composition of all solutions, buffers, mixtures, and culture media, or cite the appropriate reference or source wherein the recipe is given. Use generic names of chemicals, drugs, antibodies, reagents, enzymes, etc.; avoid using brand names unless the composition of a particular brand is critical to the methodology. If a brand name of a product is given, furnish the name of the manufacturer (and URL if possible) the first time the product is mentioned. Please provide institutional affiliations of individuals or companies who have donated supplies or reagents. If this information must be added in proof, a charge will be levied for each alteration. The accuracy of URL addresses is the responsibility of the authors. Do not include trademark or registered symbols.

Be brief. Provide readers with sufficient information to replicate the work. Unpublished work may not be cited to provide validation of methodology. Include statistical methods used for data analysis. Do not describe methods in figure legends.

For reports of experiments on human subjects, it should be stated and documented that informed consent was obtained from the patients and that the investigations were approved by an institutional human research committee or, if such a committee is not operational, were conducted in accordance with the guidelines in the Declaration of Helsinki, as revised in 1983. For reports of experiments on animals, it should be stated and documented that investigations were conducted in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching, published by the Consortium for Developing a Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching, First Edition, 1988; the National Research Council (NRC) publication Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (copyright 1996, National Academy of Science); or the International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals as promulgated by the Society for the Study of Reproduction (see the end of these Instructions).

Present findings in appropriate detail (use the past tense) and refer to tables and figures in order, but without discussion.
Nucleotide sequences should be submitted to GenBank (http://www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/Genbank/index.html), EMBL (http://www.ebi.ac.uk), or DNA Data Bank of Japan (http://www.ddbj.nig.ac.jp) database, and the accession number and date of accession should be noted in the text. Please consider presenting sequence information as a link to the deposit rather than the complete sequence. Providing the link saves space and takes the reader directly to the complete information. If you do need to include sequence information, they must be presented as figures, not tables, or, preferably, included as Supplemental Data.
Genomic and proteomic data should be deposited with the NCBI gene expression and hybridization array data repository (GEO, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo). The GEO accession number should be referenced in footnote 1 as with sequence deposit information.

Provide a clear and concise interpretation of the results; avoid redundant summaries.

Acknowledge assistance other than financial support, e.g., statistical review, technical help, editorial assistance, etc.

Authors bear total responsibility for the accuracy of all references. If references in an accepted manuscript are not properly formatted, the manuscript will be returned to the author for correction, thereby delaying publication. If changes to references are required in proof, authors will be assessed for each alteration.
List references, using Arabic numerals in brackets, in order of appearance in the text; if references appear in tables, the references listed should be in order with regard to where the table reference appears in the text.
List all authors and/or editors (exception: excess of 12 authors; please list only the first 12 authors followed by et al.).
Page numbers must be inclusive, e.g., 722–729, not 722–29.
Abbreviate journal names according to Serial Sources for the BIOSIS Database, Index Medicus, or PubMed's Journal Browser.
Include only references that appear in peer-reviewed publications or other published works that are accessible to most scientists.
Only published articles or articles accepted for publication qualify as references. Articles that have been “conditionally accepted,” “submitted,” or “in process” are not acceptable. If a paper has been accepted but does not yet have citation information, please indicate “in press.” You are encouraged to include the DOI information for papers published online ahead of print (see example below).
If a book reference is “in press,” specify publisher and expected publication date.
Cite personal communications and unpublished data only if necessary; such material should be cited parenthetically in the text without a reference number. Provide the name or names of individuals associated with the unpublished data, e.g., “(Smith and Winter, unpublished data).”
Abstracts may not be used as references unless the abstract is published in a regular issue of a readily available and indexed journal. In this case, the style for a journal article is used.
Internet/Online References: all online material (books, journal articles, websites, databases, etc.) must be completely cited in the same manner as print publications (authors, titles, publisher, original date of publication). The URL/web address must be provided as well as the date the material referred to in your paper was accessed online. It is the authors’ responsibility to ensure that any and all URLs listed in the text and the references are accurate. Check the source web site and with the source: there is often an indication of how to cite the work listed on the web site.

1. Demas GE, Nelson RJ. Photoperiod, ambient temperature, and food availability interact to affect reproductive and immune function in adult male deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). J Biol Rhythms 1998; 13:253–262.

2. Molenda HA, Kilts CP, Allen RL, Tetel MJ. Nuclear receptor coactivator function in reproductive physiology and behavior. Biol Reprod published 9 July 2003; PMID: 12855594.

4. Harrison RJ, Weir BJ. Structure of the mammalian ovary. In: Zuckerman S, Weit BJ (eds), The Ovary, vol 1, 2nd ed. New York: Academic Press; 1977: 113–217.

5. Rozen S, Skaletsky, HJ. Primer3 on the WWW for general users and for biologist programmers. In: Krawetz S, Misener S (eds.), Bioinformatics Methods and Protocols: Methods in Molecular Biology. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press; 2000:365-386.

6. Stanford SOURCE database: Genetics Department, Stanford University [Internet]. c2000. Stanford (CA): Stanford University; [November 3, 2006]. Available from http://source.stanford.edu

7. Wilson K. The effects of substance P, neurotensin and arginine vasopressin on reproductive function. London, UK: University of London; 1984. Thesis.

8. Smith C, Jones K (inventors). The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services, assignee. Adrenomedullin peptides. U.S. patent 6 320 022; 2001.

9. Okasaki Y, Okazaki Y, Furuno M, Kasukawa T, Adachi J, Bono H, Kondo S, Nikaido I, Osato N, Saito R, Suzuki H, Yamanaka I, et al. Analysis of the mouse transcriptome based on functional annotation of 60,770 full-length cDNAs. Nature 2002; 420:563-573.

Define ALL abbreviations and acronyms at first mention (except those listed at the end of these Instructions) and names of genes, gene products, proteins, and protein products.
Papers without proper nomenclature for genes and proteins will not be accepted for publication. Therefore, observe species-appropriate rules of nomenclature formatting with respect to use of upper and lower case letters and italics for both gene and protein designations. You must use correct gene and protein designations as approved and listed in nomenclature databases. For mice and rats, refer to “Rules for Nomenclature of Mouse and Rat Strains” at http://www.informatics.jax.org/mgihome//nomen/strains.shtml; for humans, nonhuman primates, and livestock, refer to the HUGO Gene Nomenclature home page, http://www.genenames.org. Please take special care with genetic nomenclature; you will be charged for changes or corrections made in proof. For mice and rats, gene symbols are in italics with only the first letter capitalized (e.g., Kitl); the protein designation is the same as the gene symbol but all letters are capitalized and none are in italics (e.g., KITL). For humans, nonhuman primates, and domestic species, gene symbols are in italics with all letters capitalized (e.g., KITLG); the protein designations are the same as the gene symbol but not in italics (e.g., KITLG).
Avoid beginning sentences with very short abbreviations or acronyms, especially those that begin with a lower case letter (such as hCG, cDNA, etc.; use “Human CG," “Complementary DNA," etc., in the latter instances).
Standard abbreviations for units of measure and abbreviations understood by scientists outside the field of reproductive biology may be used without definition: ml, g, IU, UV, i.v., EC, cpm, dpm, P, etc.
Do not use the possessive form in eponymous terms: use Dulbecco Modified Eagle medium, not Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's medium; Hanks solution, not Hanks' solution or Hank's solution; etc.
Neither the Society for the Study of Reproduction nor the journal accepts the nomenclature for polypeptide hormones proposed by the Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature; use follicle-stimulating hormone, not follitropin; luteinizing hormone, not lutropin; etc.
Do not italicize Latin terms such as et al., in situ, in vitro, or in vivo; italics are reserved for gene symbols and genus-species designations.

The following information presents the current requirements for tables, figures, and supplemental data submitted as illustrative material supporting a manuscript published in Biology of Reproduction.

Tables should be reserved for data that are more easily accessed by the reader in a column-and-row format. Authors choose tables over figures so that readers may quickly compare data. Figures have more visual impact, but tables sometimes show results better or more completely present the findings. Portions of a genetic sequences are always published as figures. Please see item in "Results" section above.

Do not create tables with only one or two rows or columns; this amount of data is more easily presented in the text. If a table is presented in this manner, the data will be incorporated into the text and may delay publication.
Do not create tables with extensive titles or footnotes. Titles should be one concise sentence. Footnotes should be brief, descriptive statements that pertain only to the data or specific formatting in the table. Text that is duplicated in the main body of the paper will be deleted from the table, and text in the table that should be in the main body of the paper will be moved.
Footnotes should be noted with either superscript letters or symbols, should be consistent within the table, and be keyed to data in the table. Do not use numerals; they will be changed to letters or symbols.
Tables should be as simple as possible and be composed entirely of text characters. Large or complex tables or tables that include graphic elements should be submitted as figures. If you are unsure, please contact the Editorial Office (bor@ssr.org).
Place each table on a separate page and number tables consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) according to order of citation in the text. Print these numbers visibly on the front of each table, in front of the table's title.
Round numbers within tables to the nearest whole number or significant digit. Numbers smaller than “1” should include a zero to the left of the decimal point.
One to three horizontal lines may be used to divide header rows and sections. Do not use vertical lines. Each column in a table, including the first on the left, must have a head; do not introduce additional or new column heads part way down; create another table instead.

Figures uploaded in the online manuscript management and review system (Bench>Press) are used for review and, if the manuscript is accepted, for BOR-Papers In Press. The Help and FAQs areas in the online submission site (http://submit.biolreprod.org) provide specific information about file formatting and solutions to common upload problems. Please read the Guidelines for Digital Images and use the checklist below.

Please contact the Editorial Office for more information: Biology of Reproduction, 1619 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711-2063, USA; TEL: 608-256-2777; FAX: 608-256-4610; e-mail: bor2@ssr.org

If you would like reviewers to see hard copies for review, please send three sets of figures marked “for reviewer.” Please include this request in your online cover letter, and state that hard copies have been sent to the BOR Editorial Office. Staff will then forward the hard copies by courier to each reviewer who accepts the review assignment. For these sets, which may be unmounted photographs, laser prints, or photocopies, write the first author’s last name, manuscript ID, and the figure’s number on a label affixed to the back of each figure.

Upon acceptance, editorial staff will check the current figure files and may ask you to upload new digital files for print production which will be verified against the peer-reviewed PDF. If found to be different, the figure(s) must be checked by an editor and may delay publication. The minimum resolution specifications for press production of digital figure files in BOR are as follows, when sized at final print size:

LINE ART: (Image is in black and white only; there is NO grayscale tone in image) / 1200 dpi minimum resolution / black & white (bitmap) mode.
HALFTONES: (Grayscale images with NO text outside the grayscale image area) / 300 dpi minimum resolution / grayscale mode.
BLACK & WHITE COMBINATIONS: (Grayscale images WITH text outside the image area [e.g., gels]) / 600 dpi minimum resolution.
COLOR: (Color images with NO text outside the image area) / 300 dpi minimum resolution.
COLOR COMBINATIONS: (Color images WITH text outside the image area) / 600 dpi minimum resolution.

If you will be saving your files as TIF files, please choose the "LZW compression" when saving so as to reduce file size.

The maximum print area on a journal page is 18.5 cm wide x 24.5 cm long (7-1/4” x 10”). Figures will be printed as

Please keep in mind the impact that font and/or label size and placement will have on figure reduction options. Prepare your graphs so that they will have a consistent appearance throughout your paper.

Pay particular attention to the quality of the lines, symbols, and patterns; fine lines may disappear and heavy lines may plug up if the figures are reduced. Avoid gray shading or dot patterns on bars, as they do not reproduce well. Use open and solid bars as first choice and patterns only as necessary. Use a key to explain symbols and patterns on graphs. Do not use 3-dimensional graphs to show 2-dimensional data.

Number figures consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) in the order in which they are discussed in the text. Label each figure within the figure file, being sure the label is at least 0.5 cm (1/4") above or below the actual figure itself.

Multiple parts within a figure must be assembled together in one file as you expect them to appear in print, with identifying letters (A, B, C, a, b, c) in place. A handling fee of $30 will be invoiced upon publication if figures consisting of multiple parts are submitted unassembled or without appropriate labeling.

If separate figures are repetitive or relational, combining them into a plate may save money. All the figures will appear together but be labeled separately and referenced separately in the figure legends. Please contact the Editorial Office for information about this option.

Please use Times Roman, Helvetica, or Symbol fonts; these are the most common fonts and can be reproduced consistently on any computer worldwide. All other fonts must be embedded with the document when it is saved. Asian fonts, in particular, do not convert well; be sure your text (including spaces), figures, and symbols do not use Asian fonts.

If your symbols font map is not using Times Roman or Helvetica and you do not embed your fonts, it is likely that special characters placed in text and/or figures will not appear for editorial staff or reviewers.

Do not use a type size that is unnecessarily large or that is smaller than 8 points. If the figure is reduced in size, consider whether the labels will be too small to read or be larger than necessary.

Type should be the same size (or proportional) on all figures within an article; elements of type within a figure should be proportional to each other. If your figure is likely to be reduced for publication, reduce it on a copy machine to make sure that all labels can be read at a smaller size.

The x-axis and y-axis should be clearly labeled, and the units of measurement given. Do not identify molecular standards with a kDa label; use Mr x 10^-3 (molecular weight [relative molecular mass]) or kb (kilobase) as appropriate.

Check figures carefully to ensure that necessary and accurate information is included in the lettering and labeling, including scale bars on all micrographs. This includes using decimal points instead of commas, italicizing species or gene symbols, and using U.S. English for labeling. Use correct gene symbols and protein designations in figure labels.

Do not describe methods or results in figure legends. Print legends double-spaced and in numerical order, separate from the figures (see above for the specific order).

Use numbers and letters consistent in style (i.e., upper or lower case letters) with those used in the illustration. Do not use special symbols in the legend. Special symbols in your figure should be shown in a key with the figure and described verbally in the legend. Define all abbreviations that appear on the figure that have not been defined in the text. Indicate in the legend the scale used for all micrographs (e.g., “bar=1 μm” or “Original Magnification x200”). A scale bar is the best method; place the scale bar itself on the figure.

It is BOR policy that figures reviewed in color will be published in color. If an author requests that a figure reviewed in color be changed to black and white, publication will be delayed as this change will require additional editorial review and may be sent back to reviewers at the editors’ discretion.

Authors are responsible for the additional cost of color reproduction and must approve an estimate of color charges before an accepted manuscript is entered into production. The current charge for color is presented in Publication costs.

Prepare color figures in the same fashion as other art. For color art containing critical areas (detail, color, etc.), include a photocopy of the figure with critical areas clearly indicated. Production staff will include this information when the figure files are sent to the printer.

Background data must not be removed from images, although adjustments such as brightness, contrast, and color balance are allowed if they are applied to the entire image or plate. Backgrounds of gels and blots must remain somewhat evident, however, to demonstrate that unwanted bands have not disappeared. Original data or documentation may be requested if image integrity is in question. Authors are encouraged to submit this data or documentation as Supplemental Data and indicate in their cover letter that this supplemental data will be used for review purposes only.

The Editors-in-Chief choose a new cover image each month from an article in the issue. If you would like your work considered for the cover, please so indicate in your online Cover Letter. There is no need to provide special artwork or examples at the time of Submission. However, in order for work to be considered, you must be able to provide a digital file with the following specifications:

Even if your manuscript has been provisionally chosen for the cover, the cover choice will be given to another manuscript if the appropriate file specifications cannot be provided.

Supplemental data may be submitted online at the time of submission. It is the authors’ responsibility to indicate in the cover letter if the data are for review purposes only or if the data are intended for publication with the online versions. If for review-purposes only, include text with the supplemental file indicating “for review purposes only.”

Accepted papers with online supplemental data that have been approved and reviewed by the editors, will be included with all the online-only versions (both in Papers In Press and with the final online publication) in the formats listed below. This “Supplemental Data Online” will be available without access control for all versions of the published paper. In all cases, authors must name the file uniquely using a maximum of eight characters (no symbols, hyphens, or punctuation), and the file extension must be the correct extension for the file format. For example, “hyperactivation movie.2.mov” should be “hyper2.mov” to ensure that all readers would be able to access the file. Descriptive phrases should be put into the legend and editorial staff will include all descriptive information with the “Supplemental Data Online” when the paper is published. Also, in the case of movies, authors must include one still photograph from the movie as a figure in the paper. This panel may be a single figure or part of a multipaneled figure; the movie’s legend will be included in the figure legend. This presentation ensures that all readers (print and online) will see a snapshot of the movie and read the legend of the supplemental data, regardless of online access or bandwidth limitations. All other supplemental data must be cited in the text using sequential naming (e.g., “Please see Supplemental Table 1”). Please include a separate header “SUPPLEMENTAL DATA LEGENDS” after the Figure Legends, which staff will use to create the text for the online supplemental data.

ACCEPTABLE SUPPLEMENTAL DATA FORMATS: Authors should remember that not all readers have large bandwidth or fast computers. Please be considerate and reduce file size where appropriate.

The total number of Supplemental Data Files may not exceed 10 files and the total number of megabytes may not exceed 10 MB. If your Supplemental Files exceed these restrictions, even with compression, please contact BOR editorial staff.

The Society for the Study of Reproduction (SSR) serves as a forum for communicating knowledge in the reproductive sciences. The Society acknowledges that all animals are creatures of great intrinsic value and remarkable complexity. The use of nonhuman animals in research can contribute uniquely to the advancement of scientific knowledge, and thus, ultimately, to improvements in the health or welfare of humans and animals.

All investigators are urged to follow the highest possible standards for the humane care and use of animals in research. During the development of the research plan, due consideration shall be given to the use of in vitro models, the appropriateness of the animal species, and the minimum number of animals needed to meet rigorous scientific and statistical standards. Animals bred specifically for laboratory study should be used whenever practical; however, there are situations where wild, captive, random source, or pound animals are necessary.

All research animals shall be acquired, retained, and used in compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Research animals shall be properly housed and fed, and their surroundings shall be kept in sanitary condition in accordance with the National Research Council's (NRC) publication Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals¹ (known familiarly as the "NIH Guide"), or the Consortium Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching.²

Research animals shall receive appropriate anesthetics, analgesics, tranquilizers, and care to minimize pain and discomfort during preoperative, operative, and postoperative procedures. The choice and use of the most appropriate drug shall be made in strict accordance with the NRC or Consortium guidelines, and all procedures shall be those of accepted veterinary medical practice. If the study or the condition of the animal requires that the animal be killed, a humane method shall be employed.³ Use of animals shall be under the direct supervision of an experienced teacher or investigator.

The guiding principles described here have been endorsed by the Society approved by the Board of Directors, March 1998.

____________
¹Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) of the National Academy of Science, Bethesda, MD; 1996. Contact ILAR@nas.edu (e-mail) or 1-800-624-6242 for a free copy.
²Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching. Consortium for Developing a Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching. Champaign, IL; 1988.
³Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia (JAVMA 1993; 202:229-249).

Do not use abbreviations in titles. The following abbreviations may be used without definition, as may standard abbreviations for units of measure. However, it is recommended that authors spell out all abbreviations at first mention for the benefit of the interdisciplinary readership of BOR and the expanding use of genetic nomenclature.

(You can only choose one topic category on the first page of the online upload process.)

Behavior
Embryo
Environment
Female Reproductive Tract
Gamete Biology
Immunology
Male Reproductive Tract
Mechanisms of Hormone Action
Minireview
Neuroendocrinology
Ovary
Pituitary
Pregnancy
Reproductive Technology
Testis
Toxicology

(The following keywords are used for reviewer selection purposes only. Please choose up to five keywords on the second page of the online process; do not include this information on the title page.)

Acrosome reaction
Activin
Adrenal
Adrenal cortex
Adrenal medulla
Adrenocorticotropic hormone
Adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor
Aging
Androgen receptor
Anterior pituitary
Apoptosis
Assisted Reproductive Technology
Behavior
Calcium
Catecholamines
Central Nervous System
Cervix
Circadian rhythm
Conceptus
Corpus luteum
Corpus luteum function
Corticosterone
Corticotropin-releasing hormone
Corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor
Cortisol
Cumulus cells
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate
Cyclic guanosine monophosphate
Cytokines
Decidua
Developmental biology
Dopamine
Early development
Embryo
Environment
Epididymis
Estradiol
Estradiol receptor
Fallopian tubes
Female Reproductive Tract
Fertilization
Follicle
Follicle-stimulating hormone
Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor
Follicular development
Follistatin
Galanin
Gamete Biology
Gametogenesis
Gene regulation
Glucocorticoid receptor
Glutamate
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor
Granulosa cells
Growth factors
Growth hormone
Growth hormone-releasing hormone
Human chorionic gonadotropin
Hypothalamic hormones
Hypothalamus
Immunology
Implantation
In vitro fertilization
Inhibin
Insulin
Insulin-like growth factor receptor
Interstitial cells
Kinases
Lactation
Leptin
Leptin receptor
Leydig cells
Luteinizing hormone
Male Reproductive Tract
Male sexual function
Mammary glands
Mechanisms of Hormone Action
Meiosis
Melatonin
Menstrual cycle
Mullerian ducts
Neuroendocrinology
Neuropeptide Y
Neuropeptides
Neurotransmitters
Nitric oxide
Oocyte development
Ovary
Oviduct
Ovulation
Ovulatory cycle
Ovum
Ovum pick-up / transport
Oxytocin
Parturition
Penis
Pheromones
Phosphatases
Phosphodiestrases
Pineal
Pituitary
Pituitary hormones
Placenta
Placental transport
Polypeptide receptors
Posterior pituitary
Pregnancy
Progesterone
Progesterone receptor
Prolactin
Prolactin receptor
Prostate
Puberty
Relaxin
Seasonal reproduction
Seminal vesicles
Serotonin
Sertoli cells
Signal transducers
Signal transduction
Somatostatin
Sperm
Sperm capacitation
Sperm maturation
Sperm motility and transport
Spermatid
Spermatogenesis
Steroid hormone receptors
Steroid hormones
Stress
Syncytiotrophoblast
Testis
Testosterone
Theca cells
Thyroid-stimulating hormone
Thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone
Toxicology
Trophoblast
Uterus
Vagina
Vas deferens
Vasopressin
Wolffian duct

	The correct, updated files are ready for upload
	Files are in correct format: PDF (unlocked and unencrypted), EPS, TIF (with LZW compression), JPG, PowerPoint, or Word. If in PowerPoint, only one slide is included in each file and the content of the slide is not linked back to any other program. If in Word, the content is not linked to any other program (PowerPoint, Excel, etc.).
	Figures are sized to final print size.
	Files are in vector format or, if in raster format, contain the proper resolution.
	If figure contains multiple panels, all are on one page.
	All figures are labeled with the figure number outside of the actual figure itself.
	Lettering size is consistent within the figure and between figures.
	Fonts are limited to Times Roman, Helvetica, or Symbol, or are embedded within the file.
	Scale bars or magnification information is included for all micrographs.
	All color images should be created and saved in RGB format. Files submitted in CMYK format will delay publication.

AMP, ADP, and ATP	adenosine mono-, di-, and triphosphates
ANOVA	analysis of variance
BSA	bovine serum albumin
cAMP, cGMP, etc	cyclic 3',5'-AMP, etc.
DNA, cDNA	deoxyribonucleic acid, complementary DNA
ELISA	enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
Hepes	-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulfonic acid
HPLC	high-performance liquid chromatography
NAD, NAD+, NADH	nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and its oxidized and reduced forms
NADP, NADP+, NADPH	nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and its oxidized and reduced forms
PAGE	polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
PBS	phosphate-buffered saline
PIPES	piperazine-N,N-bis[2-ethanesulfonic acid] or 1,4-piperazinediethanesulfonic acid
PMSF	phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride
RNA, cRNA, mRNA, rRNA, tRNA	ribonucleic acid, complementary RNA, messenger RNA, ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA
SDS	sodium dodecyl sulfate
Tris or TRIS	tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane