Premium
Cell‐specific Distribution of Oestrogen Receptor‐alpha in the Bovine Ovary
Author(s) -
Van Den Broeck W,
Coryn M,
Simoens P,
Lauwers H
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
reproduction in domestic animals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.546
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1439-0531
pISSN - 0936-6768
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-0531.2002.00352.x
Subject(s) - tunica albuginea (penis) , ovary , stromal cell , endocrinology , estrogen , medicine , follicular phase , stroma , estrogen receptor , immunohistochemistry , theca , biology , estrogen receptor alpha , granulosa cell , progesterone receptor , germinal epithelium , follicle , andrology , spermatogenesis , anatomy , breast cancer , penis , cancer
Contents In this study, the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in the bovine ovary is described. ERα was visualized by immunohistochemistry on paraffin sections of ovaries obtained from 11 non‐pregnant and 2 pregnant animals. In general, ERα was not observed in cells of primordial, primary and secondary follicles, whereas weak expression was noticed in cells of healthy and arteric tertiary follicles. In corpora lutea cells the expression of ERα was obvious. Intermediate to high ERα expression was present in thecal cells and in cells of the superficial and deep stroma, tunica albuginea and surface epithelium. Furthermore, the expression of ERα in stroma and tunica albuginea cells was in general, highest in cows with the lowest plasma progesterone levels, and lowest in cows with the highest plasma progesterone levels. Remarkably, the ERα expression in pregnant cows was in general, lower than in non‐pregnant cows with similar plasma progesterone levels. The relatively high expression of ERα in thecal and stromal cells in comparison with that in follicle cells suggests an indirect effect of estrogen on the follicular development. However, the exact function of ERα in the bovine ovary together with the cycle‐dependent variations in ERα expression remain to be elucidated.