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Increase in ubiquitin-immunoreactive nuclei in rat pituitary luteinizing hormone cells after castration
R Ohtani-Kaneko1, A Hattori, M Hara
1Department of Anatomy, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan.
Abstract:
Immunocytochemical detection of ubiquitin in the nucleus of rat LH cells and the effects of castration and testosterone replacement on the occurrence of immunoreactive ubiquitin in the nucleus were investigated. Immunoreactive ubiquitin occurred in certain nuclei, mostly belonging to identified LH cells. The concentration of testosterone in blood was altered by castration and implantation of testosterone into castrated rats, and the occurrence of ubiquitin was examined weekly for the following 4 weeks. In castrated rats, the proportion of LH cells with ubiquitin-immunoreactive nuclei was high throughout the experiment. In castrated rats implanted with testosterone, on the contrary, the proportion remained significantly lower. Ubiquitin may be involved in the cellular activity of LH cells in the rat pituitary.