title: Expression of androgen receptor mRNA in the ovary of Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, during artificially induced ovarian development.
abstract: In order to elucidate how androgens may mediate their effects on ovarian growth, we investigated the mRNA levels of two subtypes of androgen receptor (ara and arb) in the ovary of feminized Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) during artificially induced ovarian development by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization. Ara mRNA levels were high from the late oil droplet stage to the late vitellogenic stage, whereas arb mRNA levels were high from the late oil droplet stage to the midvitellogenic stage. Both ar mRNAs were predominantly observed in the follicle cells and the epithelial cells of the ovigerous lamellae in all stages. In the oil droplet stage, oogonia exhibited intense signals for ar mRNAs. There was no obvious difference in localization pattern between ara and arb in all ovaries examined, irrespective of maturational stage. It was difficult to identify the follicle cell types that were positive for ar mRNA during ovarian development. Only in post-ovulatory follicles could theca and granulosa cells be clearly identified, and ar signals were observed in both layers. The predominant localization of ar mRNA in the follicle cells suggests that androgens play important roles in oocyte growth by acting on these cells in this species. We have shown the expression profile and localization of ar mRNA during ovarian development for the first time in an oviparous vertebrate.
authors.affiliation: Division of Marine Life Sciences, Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8611, Japan. rtosaka@affrc.go.jp
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tosaka
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Todo
authors.forename: Yukinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kazeto
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mark Lokman
authors.forename: Shigeho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ijiri
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
mesh_terms: D000811:Anguilla / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013739:Testosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone; C003600:11-ketotestosterone