Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-1-23
pubmed:abstractText
Previous studies of the estrogen receptor-alpha knockout (alpha ERKO) in the male mouse demonstrate that the rete testis and efferent ductules are targets of estrogen. Because the alpha ERKO mouse lacks a functional estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) throughout development, it was not known whether the morphological and physiological abnormalities observed in the alpha ERKO male were due to developmental defects or to dysfunctions concurrent with the lack of ER alpha in the tissue. This study was designed to determine if treatment of normal wild-type (WT) mice with the pure antiestrogen, ICI 182,780, (ICI) could reproduce the morphological characteristics seen in alpha ERKO mice. Thirty-day-old male mice were treated for 35 days with either castor oil or ICI. Age-equivalent alpha ERKO mice were used for comparison. Light microscopic examinations of the reproductive tracts revealed dramatic changes in the efferent ductules of treated mice: a 1.7-fold increase in luminal diameter, a 56% reduction in epithelial cell height, a 60% reduction in brush boarder height of nonciliated cells, and an apparent reduction of the number of observable lysosomes and endocytotic vesicles. Testes of ICI-treated mice showed swollen rete testes area (6.5 times larger than control) and a 65% reduction in rete testis epithelium height. However, there were no significant changes in body and testis weights. These results indicate that ER blockage with ICI in WT mice results in morphological changes of the efferent ductules resembling those seen in alpha ERKO siblings of the same age. Based on this study, we conclude that ER alpha has a functional role in the mouse reproductive tract and the aberrant morphology observed in the efferent ductules of the alpha ERKO mouse is likely the result of a concurrent response to the lack of functional ER alpha, and not solely due to the lack of ER alpha during early developmental times.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
0006-3363
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
63
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1873-80
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-14
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Animals, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Body Weight, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Cell Size, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Ejaculatory Ducts, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Epididymis, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Epithelial Cells, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Estrogen Antagonists, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Estrogen Receptor alpha, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Glycogen, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Male, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Mice, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Mice, Inbred Strains, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Mice, Knockout, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Organ Size, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Receptors, Estrogen, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Rete Testis, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Sperm Count, pubmed-meshheading:11090460-Testis
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
Estrogen receptor alpha has a functional role in the mouse rete testis and efferent ductules.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Veterinary Bioscience, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61802, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.