IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL EXPRESSIONS OF ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE RECEPTORS IN HUMAN EPIDIDYMIS AT DIFFERENT AGES - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY

Objective-To explore the biological significance of sex steroidal acti ons in human epididymis at various stages. Patients and Methods-Human epididymides were obtained from 20 males aged from 2 days to 81 years at autopsy. Immunohistochemical staining for estrogen receptor (ER) an d progesterone receptor (PR) was conducted using formalin-fixed paraff in-embedded sections of epididymides, by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. Results-Positive immunohistochemical staining of ER wa s detected in the nucleus of epididymal epithelia in 14- to 64-year-ol d men, while in males aged from neonatal to 12 years, and over 65 year s, ER was not detected in epididymides. On the other hand, PR was not detected in epididymis in any cases. Conclusion-Estrogen might contrib ute to reproductive epididymal functions after puberty and during matu rity via estrogen-ER cascades.