Role of Estrogens in the Size of Neuronal Somata of Paravaginal Ganglia in Ovariectomized Rabbits

Figure 2

Serum concentrations of total estradiol (E2, (a)) and testosterone (T, (b)) vary between the C, OVX, and OVX + EB groups. (c) The ratio of E2 to T (as logarithm) was calculated to estimate the extent of extragonadal aromatization. Data are the mean ± SEM (n = 6 per group). (d) Aromatase expression in the ovary (O) and vagina (V) for control rabbits; Ponceau’s Red staining was used to corroborate equal amounts of protein were loaded. Paravaginal neurons from the C (e), OVX (f), and OVX + EB (g) groups express aromatase as showed by immunohistochemistry. (h) Percentages of aromatase-ir neurons are means ± SEM (n = 6 per group). One-way ANOVA followed by Newman–Keuls post hoc tests were carried out to determine significant differences between groups. and (compared to the C group); (compared to the OVX group). −n, negative neurons; +n, positive neurons; +SGC, positive satellite glial cell. Bar, 20 µm.

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