Age-dependent changes in androgen receptor immunoreactivity in motoneurons of the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus of male rats.
Androgen receptor (AR) immunoreactivity was examined in androgen-sensitive motoneurons of the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB) in young and old male rats by immunohistochemistry using the polyclonal antibody, PG21. In young animals, intense AR immunoreactivity was confined to the cell nucleus, but not in the nucleolus of SNB motoneurons. In old animals, both the intensity of AR immunoreactivity in the nuclei and number of AR immunoreactive nuclei of the SNB motoneurons were significantly reduced. Plasma levels of testosterone in old animals were significantly smaller than those in young ones. Age-dependent changes both in AR expression of SNB motoneurons and plasma levels of androgen seem to correlate with the aging of the SNB system.
Matsumoto
A
A
Department of Anatomy, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan. akira@med.juntendo.ac.jp
Prins
G S
GS
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003307:Copulation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010413:Penis / Q000294:innervation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone