Immunohistochemical localization of estrogen receptor alpha and beta in rat retina tissue / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the localization and distribution of estrogen receptor alpha (ER ?) and estrogen receptor beta (ER ?) in retina tissues of normal female rats. Methods Twenty-two SD female rats were killed by dislocation of cervical vertebra, the eyeballs were paraffin embedded and made to a series of sections which were then studied by means of immunohistochemical method. The uterus samples of rats with positive ER were used as positive control, and PBS as negative control. The serum estradilum levels of rats were examined by radioimmunoassay. Results A few specimens were found to be ER ? positive expression in retina pigment epithelium (RPE), ganglion cell layer and nerve fiber layer; while in other regions the ER ? negative expressed. The ER ? evidently expressed in different retina regions which were detected mainly in RPE and nerve ganglion cell layer as well as nerve fiber layer, and secondly in internal plexiform layer, while few ER ? expressed in other regions. Immunoreactivity positive substances were granule in shape which were located in the cytoplasm of pigment epithelium, or in cytoplasm, or in the nucleus of ganglion cell, or diffuse distributed in relative regions of retina. The positive expression rates of ER ? were higher than that of ER ? in RPE, ganglion cell layer and in nerve fiber layer (P