Expression and localization of aquaporins in epididymis of the gerbil, Meriones unguiculatus, during postnatal development

• Grant number: 10/12213-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2010
• End date: October 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Histology
• Principal Investigator: Raquel Fantin Domeniconi
• Grantee: Carla de Moraes Machado
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane protein channels expressed in a wide variety of cells and tissues that are involved in the transport of water. In the male excurrent duct, the movement of fluid and solutes across the epithelium is essential for establishing the proper luminal environment in which sperm mature and are stored. The initial aim of the present propose is to localize AQP 2 e 9 in epithelium of the initial segment, caput, corpus and cauda epididymidis in Mongolian gerbil during postnatal development (30, 60 and 90 days), observing possible changes in the pattern of expression of the AQPs along the postnatal development. The animals will be killed by inhalation of carbon dioxide. After euthanasia, the epididymis will be removed and the different regions will be isolated. The biological material obtained will be processed in accordance with the routines of histological techniques and imunnohistochemistry to study the expression and localization of the AQPs 2 and 9. The results obtained will be analyzed and photographed in conventional light microscope. (AU)