Immunohistochemical localization of progesterone receptor isoforms and estrogen receptor alpha in the chicken oviduct magnum during development

In this work, the immunohistochemical expression of progesterone receptor (PR) isoforms and estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α), as well as the histomorphometric changes of the magnum region of the left oviduct from 8-day-old chicken embryos to one-month-old chickens were evaluated. Results indicate evident histological changes in the oviduct magnum during development mainly in the magnum's mucosa. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the oviduct magnum from 8-day-old chicken embryos to one-day-old chickens did not present any PR isoform, but the oviduct magnum of one-week and one-month-old chickens expressed PR in the nuclei of all cell types. In epithelial cells, PR-B was the only isoform expressed; in muscle and serosa cells, PR-A isoform was the only isoform expressed; and stromal cells expressed both isoforms. The results also demonstrate positive ER-α immunostaining in the nuclei of different cells from embryonic life to later developmental stages of the oviduct magnum. Data indicate that the variations of ER-α or PR expression or dominance of either PR expression is differentially regulated depending on the cell type, the development of the oviduct, and in an age-specific manner. These variations in sex steroids hormone receptors are related with histological changes of the oviduct magnum through development.