Estrogen receptors detection and localization during the boar sperm functional development and in the boar reproductive organs

Estrogens (sexual steroid hormones) have regarded as especially female sex hormones. However it has been found that estrogens play an important role in the development and activity of the male reproductive organs and gametes. The effect of estrogen is conditioned by the presence of estrogen receptors (ERs) in cells of target tissues. These estrogen receptors are found both in the cytosol and the nucleus and also in the cytoplasmic membrane. The accurate detection and localization of estrogen receptors is required for the understanding of the principle and the effect on the organism. Currently, three types of estrogen receptors are known: 'classical' estrogen receptors belonging to the family of nuclear receptors, namely ERalpha and ERbeta, further receptor is a membrane-associated G-protein coupled estrogen receptor GPR30. Quite different information is published about the presence of estrogen receptors in the testes, epididymis and sperm cells in humans and other mammals. This doctoral thesis is focused on the detection and localization of various types of estrogen receptors during functional development sperm in boars and also in the boar genitals. The aim is to verify the published data about localization of all the above mentioned types of estrogen receptors in the boar sperm, mapping the changes in the distribution of estrogen receptors in germ cells and boar sperm cells during their development, maturation, capacitation and induction of acrosome reaction. Another aim is to determine the expression of the membrane form of the estrogen receptor GPER in the boar reproductive organs. The experiments were carried out using materials derived from native and commercial doses of sperm, epididymal sperm and testis and epididymal tissues of boars. The used methods enable the extraction of total proteins in sperm cells, proteins for the detection of estrogen receptors in the different part of sperm cell and proteins from the surface of these cells. The localization of mentioned estrogen receptors in different stages of functional development of sperm was detected using indirect fluorescence