Immunoreactivity of c-kit Receptor Protein during Pre-Hibernation in the Oviduct of Chinese Brown Frog Rana chensinensis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate immunoreactivity of the c-kit receptor in oviduct of Rana chensinensis in pre-hibernation. Histological examination of oviduct were performed in pre-hibernation. The sections of oviduct were immunostained by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method using rabbit polyclonal antisera raised against rat's c-kit receptor and PCNA. Total proteins were extracted from oviducal tissues and used for Western blotting analysis. Immunohistochemistry revealed the presence of the c-kit receptor and PCNA in the oviduct tissues in pre-hibernation. Also, the positive signals for the c-kit receptor and PCNA by Western blotting were observed in oviduct tissues in pre-hibernation. These results suggested that the c-kit receptor might play a regulatory role in oviducal hypertrophy in the brown frog, Rana chensinensis.