Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2004-10-6
pubmed:abstractText
Spermatozoa maturation and capacitation occurring in the male and female reproductive tracts, respectively, involves the remodeling of the spermatozoa plasma membrane. Apolipoprotein J (apoJ) and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) have been implicated in the process of lipid exchange from the spermatozoa plasma membrane to epithelial cells lining the male reproductive tract. Evidence suggests that this process is mediated by the cooperative action of the endocytic lipoprotein receptors megalin and cubilin, which are expressed at the apical surface of absorptive epithelia in various tissues, including the efferent ducts and epididymis. Here, we investigated the possibility that these receptors and their lipid-binding ligands, apoJ and apoA-I, might function similarly in the female reproductive tract. We show that megalin and cubilin are expressed in the uterine epithelium at all stages of the estrous cycle, maximally during estrous and metestrous stages. In the oviduct, there is pronounced expression of both megalin and cubilin in the nonciliated cells of the proximal oviduct and epithelial cells of the distal oviduct, particularly during estrous and metestrous stages. In both uterine and oviduct epithelial cells, megalin and cubilin were located on the apical regions of the cells, consistent with a distribution at the cell surface and in endosomes. ApoJ and apoA-I were both detected in apical regions of uterine and oviduct epithelial cells. Secretory cells of the uterine glands were found to express apoJ and apoA-I suggesting that the glands are a site of synthesis for both proteins. In summary, our findings indicate that megalin and cubilin function within the female reproductive tract, possibly mediating uterine and oviduct epithelial cell endocytosis of apoJ/apoA-I-lipid complexes and thus playing a role in lipid efflux from the sperm plasma membrane, a major initiator of capacitation.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
1040-452X
pubmed:author
pubmed:copyrightInfo
Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
69
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
419-27
pubmed:dateRevised
2011-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2004
pubmed:articleTitle
Immunolocalization of cubilin, megalin, apolipoprotein J, and apolipoprotein A-I in the uterus and oviduct.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA. argraves@musc.edu
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't