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Expression of estrogen receptors in the efferent ductule of male sheep fetuses during gestation

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Abstract

There is as yet no report about the developmental changes of estrogen receptors (ERs) in the male reproductive system of the sheep fetus. In the present study, the testis, efferent ductule, and epididymis of sheep fetuses were collected at days 70, 90, and 120 of gestation and in the newborn lamb. ER alpha (ERα) and ER beta (ERβ) were detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that ERβ staining was negative in all of the examined tissues throughout gestation, whereas ERα immunoreactivity was only located in the nuclei of the efferent ductule epithelium. In addition, both ERα staining intensity and the number of ERα-positive cells were higher at day 90 of gestation, compared with that at day 70 and at birth. These results suggest that estrogen may play important roles in efferent ductule development in sheep fetuses.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of China (30170693) and the Natural Science Foundation of China for Outstanding Young Scientists (30325034).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, 100094, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Xinggui Tian, Sheng Cui, Jiali Liu & Shaoli Yi

  2. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, 100094, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Sheng Cui

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  1. Xinggui Tian
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  2. Sheng Cui
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  4. Shaoli Yi
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Correspondence to Sheng Cui.

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Tian, X., Cui, S., Liu, J. et al. Expression of estrogen receptors in the efferent ductule of male sheep fetuses during gestation. Histochem Cell Biol 122, 473–475 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-004-0706-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-004-0706-9

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