Renin Immunofluorescence in the metestrus rat uterus

Abstract

Renin, produced by juxtaglomerular cells of the kidney to activate the renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone pathway in response to low blood volume and/or pressure, also is a hox gene product that is important in the development of abdominal structures. When linked to green fluorescent protein, renin is expressed by adrenal, renal, and gonadal vessels in the mouse embryo. The ovarian/uterine artery continues to express renin after birth, although the testicular artery does not, and the quantity of expression varies with stage of estrus cycle and during pregnancy. Renin is also expressed in the giant trophoblast cells of the placenta. In the rat, pericytes of the ovarian/uterine artery are immunofluorescent for renin. This project specifically examines the rat uterus in the metestrus stage of the estrus cycle. Using anti‐mouse renin antibody stain, renin is localized to the tunica media of spiral arteries in the uterus and a larger vessel coursing through the serosa. With anti‐rat renin antibody stain, renin also localized to the tunica media of the same vessels. These results help define a baseline in the amount of renin expression in the uterus with which to compare other stages of the estrus cycle and pregnancy to possibly link renin expression with human conditions of premenstrual syndrome and toxemia of pregnancy. Support by NSF grants #0132823 & 0726185, and D'Youville faculty council research fund