Figure 3

INSL3 protein expression in selected macaque tissues. a. Western blot analysis of INSL3 in selected endocrine-reproductive tissues. Eighty μg of total protein isolated from the ovary (Ov), testis (Te), hypothalamus (Hyp) and pituitary (Pit) was loaded in each lane. β-ACTIN (~47 kDa) was used as an internal loading control, and PageRuler™ Plus Prestained Protein Ladder (Fermentas) was used as molecular weight marker (MW). b. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) detection of INSL3 protein in the macaque ovary. Positive signal (brown) of INSL3 was localized in the thecal cells (The) surroundingantral follicles (AF), but not in other cell types within the ovary (A, B). Normal rabbit serum stained ovary section was used as negative control (C). GC, granulosa cells. c. INSL3 levels in monkey sera and follicular fluid during controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) protocols at 0-h and 36-h post hCG treatment. F serum follicular, female serum at follicular phase; F serum luteal, female serum at luteal phase; M, male. The value is presented as mean ± SE. Tissue lysate, sections, blood and follicular fluid were isolated from 3-4 different animals.