https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2021.3206

Immunoreactivities of AR, ERα, ERβ and aromatase in the nuptial pad of Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii) during pre-hibernation and the breeding period

Vol. 65 No. 2 (2021)
Submitted: 26 November 2020
Accepted: 25 March 2021
Published: 13 April 2021
Androgen receptor, aromatase, estrogen receptor, nuptial pad, Rana dybowskii
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Authors

Zeqi Tang
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Yuan Chen
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Baolong Ren
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2001-7873
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Xi Wang
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6945-6426
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Haolin Zhang
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Yingying Han
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Zhengrong Yuan
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.
Qiang Weng
qiangweng@bjfu.edu.cn
Laboratory of Animal Physiology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China.

There is a prominent local raised pad called nuptial pad on the forelimb of Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii), which is hypothetically concluded as an enhancement of the grip and a spreader of pheromone during the amplexus. In this study, we investigated the immunolocalization and protein expression levels of AR, ERα, ERβ and aromatase in the nuptial pad of R. dybowskii during pre-hibernation and the breeding period. Histologically, the annual development of the nuptial pad in R. dybowskii is manifested as the larger area of specialized mucous gland and the longer length of papillary epidermal projection during the breeding period. AR, ERα, ERβ and aromatase are present in the stratum granulosum, stratum spinosum, stratum basale and the secretory portion of specialized mucous glands during both periods. Western blotting results confirmed that AR, ERα and ERβ protein levels are higher during pre-hibernation than those during the breeding season. These results suggest that nuptial pad is the direct target organ of androgen and estrogen. Androgen may participate in the regulation of annual development and glandular function of nuptial pad, and estrogen may play an endocrine, autocrine or paracrine role during pre-hibernation and the breeding period.

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How to Cite

Tang, Z., Chen, Y., Ren, B., Wang, X., Zhang, H., Han, Y., … Weng, Q. (2021). Immunoreactivities of AR, ERα, ERβ and aromatase in the nuptial pad of Chinese brown frog (<em>Rana dybowskii</em>) during pre-hibernation and the breeding period. European Journal of Histochemistry, 65(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2021.3206

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