EXPRESSION AND LOCATION OF TRH-R2 IN THE RAT TESTIS DURING POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression of thyrotrophin-releasing hormone receptor type-2(TRH-R2) in rat testis during postnatal development,and to discuss its function in the regulation of reproduction development. Methods Western blotting and the immunohistochemical ABC method were used to detect the expression and location of TRH-R2 in testes of 8,15,20,35,60 and 90-day-old rats. And the immunohistochemical results were analyzed with the image analysis system and statistical method. Results Western blot showed that TRH-R2 was expressed in 15- to 90-day-old rat testis. As for the immunohistochemical ABC method,we found that TRH-R2 firstly appeared in 8-day-old rat testes. In all the following stages we also detected the immunochemical positive cells in testes. TRH-R2 was distributed in the interstitial cells between seminiferous tubules and positive substance was expressed in the cell membrane and cytoplasm of Leydig cells.The results of image analyses quantitation revealed that the intensity of TRH-R2 increased progressively with the postnatal development of rats.The peak was in 35-day-old.Then at the following stages the expression of TRH-R2 maintained stable.Conclusion TRH-R2 is expressed in rat testis during its postnatal development and locates in the Leydig cells,and the TRH-R2 shows development-dependent expression in testicular tissue.