LOCALIZATION OF THE ANDROGEN RECEPTOR IN THE DEVELOPING RAT GUBERNACULUM

The distribution of androgen receptor expression within the developing rat gubernaculum was examined at different times during fetal and neonatal development using polyclonal antibodies directed at the amino-terminus (amino acids 1-21) and the carboxy-terminus (amino acids 898-917) of the androgen receptor. These studies reveal a high level expression of androgen receptor in the undifferentiated cells that comprise the mesenchymal core of the gubernaculum in early development. However, during the morphological alterations of the gubernaculum into a muscular structure, the level of androgen receptor detected in these cells declines, with minimal immunoreactivity present 2 weeks postpartum. Whether the loss of staining of the mesenchyme is related to decreases in androgen receptor expression, death of the mesenchymal cells, or differentiation of these cells into myoblasts remains to be determined.