Gubernacular fibroblasts express the androgen rece

Authors: Rosa Maria Vigueras Gabriela Reyes Norma MorenoMendoza Horacio MerchantLarios

Publish Date: 2004/10/16

Volume: 32, Issue: 6, Pages: 386-390

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Abstract

Cryptorchidism was provoked in 3 day old rats treated with 17βestradiol over 30 days to identify the cells that express the androgen receptor AR during experimental testis descent in the gubernaculum In one group of animals testis descent was induced with human chorionic gonadotrophin hCG applied daily for 5 or 10 days A correlative study using a testosterone radioimmunoassay with electron microscopy and immunocytochemical detection of AR was performed in gubernacula of hCG treated and untreated control animals The gubernaculum of rats undergoing testes descent showed a dramatic increase in the number of ARpositive cells These were located in the connective tissue among smooth muscle cells in the gubernacular cord and between striated muscle fibers in the bulb In both regions the ARpositive cells were identified as fibroblasts Several clusters of amorphous material appeared in the extracellular matrix of the connective tissue in hCG treated rats Our results suggest that testosterone induces the expression of AR in gubernacular fibroblasts which seem to degrade the extracellular matrix during gubernacular involution

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