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Expression and localization of growth hormone receptor in the oviduct of cyclic and pregnant pigs and mid-implantation conceptuses

Histochemistry and Cell Biology volume 131, Article number: 773 (2009) Cite this article

Abstract

Previously it was shown that growth hormone (GH) and its receptor (GH-R) are involved in growth-promoting events during early embryonic development. However, it is still unknown if GH-induced GH-R signalling may support other functions within the oviduct. The purpose of our study was to analyse GH-R expression and localization in the porcine oviduct during different stages of the oestrus cycle and pregnancy (days 2–3 post inseminationem to days 65–71). As shown by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), GH-R is expressed in the porcine oviduct during all stages of the oestrus cycle and pregnancy, respectively. Additionally, GH-R mRNA was detected in porcine conceptuses collected at day 18 of pregnancy. Using immunohistochemistry, GH-R was exclusively localized to the epithelium of the porcine oviduct throughout all segments examined. Localization of GH-R was mainly observed in the cytoplasm of ciliated epithelial cells. Generally, the number of GH-R-positive cells was elevated in the periovulatory phase of the oestrus cycle. Except for the isthmic epithelium, staining intensity of GH-R-positive cells was highest at oestrus and markedly reduced at met- and dioestrous stages. In infundibular and ampullar segments, percentage of GH-R-positive cells was significantly higher at days 2–3 post inseminationem compared to days 65–71 of pregnancy. Furthermore, in porcine conceptuses on day 18 of pregnancy GH-R protein expression was almost exclusively localized to trophectoderm. Our data suggest that GH-R mRNA and protein expression in the porcine oviduct throughout the oestrus cycle and pregnancy may suggest other activities of GH not described previously. Specifically, autocrine or paracrine GH-induced GH-R signalling may be linked to ciliated cell homeostasis of the porcine oviduct. Additionally, our results indicate that GH-R expression in the pig trophectoderm may be responsible for trophoblastic elongation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mrs Mueller and Mrs Holzaepfel for their excellent technical assistance.

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  1. Department of Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 35, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany

    Martin Steffl, Markus Schweiger, Judith Mayer & Werner M. Amselgruber

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  1. Martin Steffl
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  2. Markus Schweiger
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  3. Judith Mayer
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  4. Werner M. Amselgruber
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Correspondence to Martin Steffl.

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Steffl, M., Schweiger, M., Mayer, J. et al. Expression and localization of growth hormone receptor in the oviduct of cyclic and pregnant pigs and mid-implantation conceptuses. Histochem Cell Biol 131, 773 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-009-0573-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-009-0573-5

Keywords

  • Oviduct
  • Pig
  • Growth hormone receptor
  • Embryo
  • Immunohistochemistry