Bone morphogenetic protein-4 immunolocalization is developmentally regulated in mice testis

Abstract

The transforming growth factor β (TGF β) superfamily consists of more than 35 proteins including growth differentiation factor (GDF), bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP), TGF-β, activin and inhibin. In males, insitu hybridization studies have shown expression of BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-8A, BMP-8B in testis and BMP-4, BMP-7, BMP-8A in epididymis of mice (Shimasaki et al., 2004). The aim of our study was to localize BMP-4 protein in testis, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle and prostate of mice using immunohistochemistry.