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Reproduction Abstracts (2015) 2 P050 | DOI: 10.1530/repabs.2.P050

1University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain; 2National Autonomous University of México, Mexico DF, Mexico; 3University National of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.


This work was aimed at localizing and evaluating the expression of endogenous hypoxia markers in the porcine oviduct. Oviduct samples were obtained from reproductive tracts of sows (n=20) in the slaughterhouse. Upon visual inspection of the ovary the samples were allocated into late follicular (LF), early luteal (EL) and late luteal (LL) phases of the estrous cycle. Ampulla and isthmus sections were stained against the following specific primary antibodies: HIF2α, VEGF, Flt-1, Flk-1, Glut-1 CAIX. Staining intensity was quantified in the epithelium, lamina propria and muscular layer. All the tested hypoxia markers showed positive immunostaining although the staining intensity showed variations according to the histological layer, the phase of the estrous cycle and, to a less extent, the portion of the oviduct. HIF2α, VEGF, Flt-1, Flk-1, and CAIX were preferentially located in the epithelium and poorly expressed in the lamina propria, while Glut-1 showed broad staining in the three histological layers. HIF2α, VEGF and its receptor Flt-1 showed maximum expression through the periovulatory stage (LF and EL phases), while no periovulatory association was observed for Glut-1. Regional variation between the ampulla and isthmus was found for HIF2α, VEGF and its receptor Flt-1 with a higher staining intensity in the ampulla at the LL phase. The ubiquitous expression of the hypoxia markers indicates that oxygen levels are critical for the regulation of the oviduct physiology. The immunohistochemical association between HIF2α, VEGF and its receptor Flt-1 could be directly involved in such a regulatory role. Additional studies involving molecular techniques, other markers such as HIF1α or pimonidazole, and direct measurement of oxygen levels are required to fully understand the potential association between hypoxia and the reproductive functions of the oviduct.

Work funded by project AGL2012-40180-C03-03 (MINECO, Spain).

Volume 2

Society for Reproduction and Fertility Annual Conference 2015

Oxford, UK
20 Jul 2015 - 22 Jul 2015

Society for Reproduction and Fertility 

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