PARTIAL CLONING AND DISTRIBUTION OF ESTROGEN-RECEPTOR-BETA IN THE AVIAN BRAIN

A partial estrogen receptor beta (ER-beta) cDNA was isolated from test icular quail RNA by RT-PCR with degenerate primers specific to the rat ER-beta sequence. A high expression of ER-beta was demonstrated by RT -PCR in the telencephalon, diencephalon, pituitary, testis and kidneys of male quail but little or no expression was detected in the cerebel lum, pectoral muscle and adrenal gland. In situ hybridization with a S -35-labelled oligoprobe in sections through the preoptic area-rostral hypothalamus identified high expression in the medial preoptic nucleus , bed nucleus striae terminalis and nucleus taeniae. These data demons trate the presence of an ER-beta in brain areas implicated in the cont rol of reproduction in a non-mammalian species. (C) 1998 Lippincott Wi lliams & Wilkins.