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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 70/4/1106    most recent biolreprod.103.022665v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal My Folders Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Albrecht, E. D. Articles by Pepe, G. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Albrecht, E. D. Articles by Pepe, G. J. Agricola Articles by Albrecht, E. D. Articles by Pepe, G. J.

Expression of Estrogen Receptors and ß in the Fetal Baboon Testisand Epididymis¹

Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology, Reproductive Sciences, and Physiology,³ Center for Studies in Reproduction, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201 Department of Physiological Sciences,⁴ Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23501

Although studies in transgenic mice suggest that estrogen is important for development of the testis, very little is known about the potential role of estrogen in maturation of the primate fetal testis. Therefore, as a first step to determine whether estrogen regulates maturation of the fetal primate testis, we used immunocytochemistry to determine estrogen receptor (ER) and ß expression in the fetal baboon testis. Second, we established methods to quantify ERß mRNA levels by competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in Sertoli cells isolated by laser capture microdissection (LCM) from the fetal baboon testis. ERß protein expression was abundant in the nuclei of Sertoli, peritubular, and interstitial cells in baboon fetuses at mid (Day 100) and late (Day 165) gestation (term is 184 days). ERß mRNA level was 0.03 attomole/femtomole 18S rRNA in Sertoli cell nuclei and associated cytoplasm isolated by LCM. ER was expressed in low level in seminiferous tubules and in moderate level in peritubular cells on Day 165. Germ cells expressed very little ER or ERß protein, whereas the baboon fetal epididymis exhibited extensive ER and ERß immunostaining at mid- and late gestation. In contrast to the robust expression of ERß, androgen receptor protein was not demonstrable within the cells of the seminiferous cords but was abundantly expressed in epididymal epithelial cells of the fetal baboon. In summary, the results of this study show that the fetal baboon testis and epididymis expressed the ER and ERß, and we suggest that our nonhuman primate baboon model can be used to study the potential role of estrogen on maturation of the fetal testis.

¹ This work was supported by National Institutes of Health Grant U54 HD 36207 as part of the NICHD Specialized Cooperative Centers Program in Reproduction Research.

² Correspondence: Eugene D. Albrecht, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Bressler Research Laboratories, 11-019, 655 West Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201. FAX: 410 706 5747;ealbrech{at}umaryland.edu