DISTRIBUTION OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR-IMMUNOREACTIVE CELLS IN THE SHEEP BRAIN

Citation
Mn. Lehman et al., DISTRIBUTION OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR-IMMUNOREACTIVE CELLS IN THE SHEEP BRAIN, Endocrinology, 133(2), 1993, pp. 876-886
Citations number
63
Categorie Soggetti
Endocrynology & Metabolism
Journal title
ISSN journal
00137227
Volume
133
Issue
2
Year of publication
1993
Pages
876 - 886
Database
ISI
SICI code
0013-7227(1993)133:2<876:DOERCI>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
The distribution of immunoreactive (IR) estrogen receptor (ER)-contain ing cells was studied in the brains of adult Suffolk ewes using a rat monoclonal antibody (H222) which recognizes the human estrogen recepto r. IR cells were characterized by dense nuclear reaction product, and in some instances, cytoplasmic immunostaining which filled dendrite-li ke processes. The greatest densities of ER-IR cells were found in the medial preoptic area, the mediobasal hypothalamus, and in a number of limbic system structures (amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminali s, lateral septum). ER-IR cells were found at lower densities in sever al other subregions of the hypothalamus and limbic system, and in the periaqueductal gray of the caudal midbrain. Cytoplasmic ER immunoreact ivity was most prominent among ER-IR cells in the ventrolateral-ventro medial nucleus, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the midbrain periaqueductal gray, and some ER-IR cells in the substantia innominata . The distribution of ER-containing cells in the sheep brain closely p arallels that seen in other mammals. ER-IR cells are found in sites su ch as the medial preoptic area and ventrolateral-ventromedial hypothal amus which have been implicated as targets in this species and others for the influence of estradiol on sexual behavior and reproductive neu roendocrine function.