2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Molecular mechanisms of postnatal differentiation of epididymis regulated by sex hormones
| Project/Area Number |
16590136
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
General anatomy (including Histology/Embryology)
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| Research Institution | Chiba University |
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Principal Investigator |
KOMIYAMA Masatoshi Chiba University, Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Lecturer, 環境健康都市園芸フィールド科学教育研究センター, 講師 (70175339)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
MORI Chisato Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, Professor, 大学院医学研究院, 教授 (90174375)
FUKATA Hideki Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, Associate Professor, 大学院医学研究院, 特任助教授 (00359598)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2006
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| Keywords | Epididymis / Gene expression / Development / Differentiation / DNA microarray / Mouse / Aquaporin |
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| Research Abstract |
Epididymis is morphologically divided into the caput, corpus and cauda regions, which have their own specific luminal environments. In this study, gene expression in the mouse epididymis was examined during postnatal development to analyze molecular mechanisms of functional differentiation of epididymal regions. DNA microarray analysis revealed that gene expression pattern remarkably changes during postnatal three weeks and reach to the adult pattern by 3 weeks of age. These gene expressions were quite different among the caput, corpus and cauda regions. Next, male newborn mice were exposed to diethylstilbestrol, a synthetic estrogen, to examine how sex hormones affect the postnatal development of epididymis. This treatment caused relative stromal overgrowth of epididymis and high expression of type I collagen genes (col1a1 and col1a2). It was revealed by in situ hybridization analysis that the relative stromal overgrowth is caused by increase in expression of col1a1 and col1a2 genes in each stromal cell. Further, a novel gene (Serpina1f) and 4 unknown mouse epididymis-specific genes (Lcp1, Cuzd1, Teddm1 and Wfdc16) were identified by DNA microarray and real-time RT-PCR analyses. The expression of these genes was confirmed to increase rapidly during juvenile period. Their expression areas and regulation of expression of these genes by sex hormones were also analyzed in this study. Gene expression of aquaporins (AQPs), water channel proteins, was also analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. It was found that 10 types of AQP (AQP1-9 and 11) express in mouse epididymis and expression of many of AQPs decrease by excess of estrogens.
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