title: Localization of the glucocorticoid receptor in testis and accessory sexual organs of male rat.
abstract: Localization of glucocorticoid receptor-like immunoreactivity (GR-LI) was studied in adult rat testis, epididymis, ejaculatory duct, seminal vesicle and prostate by light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. In the interstitium of the testis GR-LI was seen in the nuclei of Leydig cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels. Furthermore, GR-LI was observed in zygotene and early pachytene primary spermatocytes of some seminiferous tubules during stages XIII-XIV and I-III of the spermatogenic cycle. Other spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells were devoid of staining. GR-LI was also found in peritubular myoid cells, fibroblasts and basal cells of the epididymis, vas deferens and prostate. Localization of GR-LI in primary spermatocytes and Leydig cells suggests that glucocorticoids directly affect spermato- and steroidogenesis in the testis. The absence of GR-LI from functional, stromal cells of the male accessory sexual organs suggests that they are not targets for glucocorticoid hormones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Isola
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parvinen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Honkaniemi
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wikström
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pelto-Huikko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004822:Epididymis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D011467:Prostate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000032:analysis*; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid