title: Mapping of androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptors in the anal continence organ.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of androgen, estrogen and progesterone receptors (ARs, ERs, PRs) in the tissues of the anal continence organ using immunohistochemical techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine samples of anorectal tissue were obtained from 23 patients (seven men, seven premenopausal women and nine postmenopausal women). Immunostaining for ARs, ERs and PRs was performed by the ABC technique using 3,3'-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride as the chromogen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specific immunostaining for ARs, ERs and PRs was found exclusively over cell nuclei. ARs were found in the smooth muscle cells of the internal anal sphincter in all but one of the females (10/11) and all males (7/7), ERs were found in 12/12 females and 4/7 males, and PRs were found in 4/10 females and 1/7 males. The squamous epithelium exhibited a similar pattern of immunostaining. The nuclei of the striated muscle fibers expressed none of the sex steroid receptors investigated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intense expression of ARs, ERs and, in some cases, PRs in the tissues of the anal continence organ at all ages and in both sexes indicates that this organ is a target for sex steroid hormones.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Frauenklinik, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oettling
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Franz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000737:chemistry*; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D005242:Fecal Incontinence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000737:chemistry; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone