Espressione del recettore mu per gli oppioidi nell’epitelio seminifero di gatto

The presence of endogenous opioids has been evidenced both in the male and female reproductive tract, but less is still known on the role that they have on the reproductive function. On the contrary lots of studies evidenced the role that calcium has on capacitation and acrosome reaction, two important steps in the process that leads sperm cells to acquire the ability of fertilizing the egg. In this study by means of immunostaining techniques the mu-opioid receptor has been localized-on male cat germ cells and its presence and expression has been studied during spermatogenesis.