title: Ovarian expression of melatonin Mel(1a) receptor mRNA during mouse development.
abstract: Melatonin, secreted by the pineal gland, is involved in the regulation of many physiological functions of various species of animals. In the present study, the expression of gene for melatonin Mel(1a) receptor (MelR) was evaluated in the ovary, hypothalamus, and pituitary according to the developmental stages in female mice. Semiquantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ PCR techniques were applied. According to the developmental stages, gene for MelR was differently expressed on ovary, hypothalamus, and pituitary. MelR gene was first expressed on pituitary prior to the expression in hypothalamus and ovary. Ovarian MelR gene started to express at birth. Unlike hypothalamic expression of MelR gene which was identified after birth, in pituitary, it was expressed at 16 days post coitum. In the ovary, the expression signal of MelR gene was identified on granulosa cells. However, the signal was not detected in the theca cells. It was weak in the primordial and atretic follicles. Taken together, it can be considered that melatonin has a pivotal role in the folliculogenesis.
authors.affiliation: MizMedi Hospital, Daechi-Dong, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Y D
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008550:Melatonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D044094:Receptors, Melatonin; D008550:Melatonin