ONTOGENY OF ANDROGEN RECEPTOR-LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN THE REPRODUCTIVE-TRACT OF MALE MONODELPHIS-DOMESTICA

The distribution of nuclear androgen receptor-like immunoreactivity wa s studied in the reproductive tract of the developing and adult gray s hort-tailed Brazilian opossum (Monodelphis domestica), using the well- characterized rabbit polyclonal androgen receptor antibody, PG21. Andr ogen receptor-like immunoreactivity was first detected on the fifth da y of postnatal age, in the mesenchymal tissues of the ductus deferens, gubernaculum testis, inguinal, and scrotal areas; the urogenital sinu s; and the genital tubercle. Androgen receptor-like immunoreactivity w as first seen in the interstitial cells of the epididymis at 45 days o f age; the testes developed androgen receptor-like immunoreactivity at 60 days of age. The epithelium of prostatic glands contained androgen receptor-like immunoreactivity only in the adult. The presence of and rogen receptor-like immunoreactivity during development correlated wel l with the known androgen dependence of the differentiation of most re productive organs.