TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL EXPRESSION PATTERN OF ESTROGEN RECEPTOR ALPHA, PROGESTERONE RECEPTOR AND wnt7a IN Caiman latirostris.OVIDUCTS

GALOPPO GH; OSTI M; STOKER C; LUQUE E H; MUÑOZ-DE-TORO M

Chascomus

Congreso; IV Jornadas Anuales de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología; 2013

SAB

C latirostris oviduct maturation is a postnatal event. In mammals, wnt7a is involved in oviductal radial differentiation patterning and adenogenesis. There is no information about wnt7a role on reptilian reproductive tract development. The aims of our study were to determine in C latirostris oviducts, the temporal and spatial expression patterns of wnt7a, estrogen receptor alpha (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR); and to assess histo-morphological-related changes. Caiman females were euthanized at different ages from hatchling to juvenile. Oviductal histo-morphological features were assessed in trichromic stained sections and quantified by a 1 to 10 score scale. ER, PR and wnt7a were evaluated by IHC. Epithelial ER expression showed increasing levels from hatchling to 90 days of age and decreased on juvenile oviducts. Histological changes from pre-adenogenic to adenogenic oviducts positive correlated with the expression of, estrogen target molecules, PR and wnt7a. The endocrine environment modulates oviductal ER, PR and wnt7a levels determining, on early postnatal developmental stages, the luminal to-glandular epithelium differentiation program. Exposure to xenoestrogens could alter this process.