Immunohistochemical Detection of Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Receptors in the Rabbit Vagina.

The vagina is a critical part of the reproductive canal. It is considered part of the birth canal and the site of semen deposition. The vagina is controlled by a variety of important physiological factors, including hormones. One of the most popular lab animals is the rabbit. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) expression in the vagina at early pregnancy were observed on basic histological constituents of the vagina and newly discovered histological components including telocyte, vascular compartments, interstitium, and lymph. mmunoreactivity to NSE with different intensity detected at vaginal lining epithelium and smooth muscle fibers. Mild immunoreactivity was observed on mucosal crypt-lining cells. Strong immunoreactivity to NSE was detected in lymphocytes, telocytes, endothelium, red blood cells, interstitium, and lymph. However, immunoreactivity to PR was strong on the nucleus of the vaginal lining epithelium, crypts, smooth muscle, cytoplasm of the intraepithelial lymphocytes, lining epithelium of lymph vessels, interstitium, and lymph. Also, there is strong immunostaining for ER on the red blood cells, interstitium, and lymph. Mild immunoreactivity was noticed on the blood and lymph vessels' endothelial lining.