期刊
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
卷 204, 期 -, 页码 1-7出版社
ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.04.031
关键词
Androgen receptor; Courtship behavior; Muskrat; Scented gland; Seasonal change
资金
- Program for the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [YX2013-22, BLYX2013024]
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) from China [J1103516]
Muskrat is a seasonal breeder, males of which secret musk from paired perinea] scented glands found beneath the skin at the ventral base of the tail for attracting female during the breeding season. The aim of this study was to investigate the seasonal changes of expression of androgen receptor (AR) in the scented gland of muskrat during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. Histologically, glandular cells, interstitial cells and excretory tubules were identified in scented glands in both seasons, whereas epithelial cells were sparse in the nonbreeding season. AR was observed in glandular cells of scented glands during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons with stronger immunostaining during the breeding season compared to the nonbreeding season. Consistent with the immunohistochemical results, AR protein level was higher in the scented glands of the breeding season, and then decreased to a relatively low level in the nonbreeding season. The mean mRNA level of Ar was significantly higher in the breeding season than in the nonbreeding season. In addition, plasma gonadotropins and testosterone concentrations were remarkably higher in the breeding season than those in the nonbreeding season. These results suggested that muskrat scented gland was the direct target organ of androgen, and stronger expression of AR in scented glands during the breeding season suggested that androgens may directly influence scented glandular function of the muskrats and also courtship behavior as we inferred. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
作者
我是这篇论文的作者
点击您的名字以认领此论文并将其添加到您的个人资料中。
推荐
暂无数据