The long term goal of the study is to understand the role of androgens and/or estrogens in regulating functions of the efferent ductules (ED) and epididymis (EP) in sperm maturation.
The aim of the present study is to test the hypothesis that androgens, or estrogens, or both are important for expression of the androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER) genes and/or proteins. The up-or down-regulation of expression may depend upon the region, the cell type, and the state of growth of the ED and EP. To test the hypothesis we propose to characterize mRNAs and proteins for AR and ER at the molecular subcellular levels in different regions of the ED and EP of mature animals (Exp. 1), immature growing animals (Exp. 2), mature castrated animals with or without substitution of androgens or estrogens or both (Exp. 4). The reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction technique will be used to identify mRNA transcripts, and in situ hybridization will be used to localize mRNA at the subcellular level. Immunohistochemical and Western blotting techniques will be used to identify AR and ER proteins. Changes in mRNAs and proteins will be related with those in structural morphometry and hormonal profiles (testosterone, estrogen, and luteinizing hormone). Whereas results of the first two experiments will provide semiquantitative data on gene/protein expression for AR and ER as a function of the region and development, those from the latter two experiments will provide semiquantitative data on differential significance between androgens and estrogens as well as between circulating factors and testicular factors in regulating AR and ER gene/protein expression. Overall, results will provide insights on regulation of the ED and EP which are functionally important in sperm maturation and, thus, in male fertility.

Project Start
2000-06-01
Project End
2001-05-31
Budget Start
1997-10-01
Budget End
1998-09-30
Support Year
29
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$109,973
Indirect Cost
Name
Tuskegee University
Department
Type
DUNS #
128214178
City
Tuskegee
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
36088
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Cooper, Marvis S; Reeve Jr, Joseph R; Raboin, Shannon J et al. (2008) Cholecystokinin-58 and cholecystokinin-8 produce similar but not identical activations of myenteric plexus and dorsal vagal complex. Regul Pept 148:88-94
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Sullivan, Cherese N; Raboin, Shannon J; Gulley, Stephen et al. (2007) Endogenous cholecystokinin reduces food intake and increases Fos-like immunoreactivity in the dorsal vagal complex but not in the myenteric plexus by CCK1 receptor in the adult rat. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 292:R1071-80
Raboin, Shannon J; Gulley, Stephen; Henley, Sheryce C et al. (2006) Atropine methyl nitrate increases myenteric but not dorsal vagal complex Fos-like immunoreactivity in the rat. Physiol Behav 88:448-52
Raboin, Shannon J; Gulley, Stephen; Henley, Sheryce C et al. (2006) Effect of sympathectomy and demedullation on increased myenteric and dorsal vagal complex Fos-like immunoreactivity by cholecystokinin-8. Regul Pept 134:141-8

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